Theories of Relationships - EQUITY THEORY Flashcards
What is equity theory
Says people strive to acheive fairness in their relationships.
The role of equity
Walster et al - both partners level of profit is roughly the same.
lack of equity means one partner over benefits and the other under benefits causing dissatisfaction and unhappiness
What do over benefitted and under benefitted partners feel?
- Over benefitted partner feels guilt, discomfort and shame.
- Under benefitted partner feels dissatisfaction in form of anger, hostility and humiliation.
Satisfaction is about…
percieved fairness
Equity and equality
The ratio of rewards and costs e.g. if one partner put a lot in but puts a lot out then it is fair.
Satisfying relationships marked by negotiations. Rewards are distributed fairly, not necessarily equally between partners.
Equity does not = Equality
Equity = persons percieved inputs and outputs
(photo of diff height people on boxes)
What is the consequence of inequity?
Equity theory predicts a strong correlation between level of inequity and distress
1 . changes in perceived equity
2. dealing with inequity
Changes in perceived equity
Change in level of perceived equity e.g. start of relationships it is natural to contribute more than you receive, but as relationship goes on for longer, there can be a lack of satisfaction
Dealing with inequity
More unfair relationship feels, the harder they will work to restore equity e.g. more cognitive than behavioural such as accepting costs like abuse
Three evaluation points for equity theory
+ supporting research evidence
- Individual differences
- Cultural differences
Supporting research evidence
P - there is supporting research evidence for equity theory.
E - Utne carried out a survey of over 100 married couples, measuring equity with two self-report scales, found that couples who considered relationship equitable were more satisfied than those who saw themselves as over benefitting or under benefitting.
E - this supports equity theory because people perceiving fairness within their relationships, allows them to feel satisfied rather than guilty.
L - research support importance of equity in relationships by showing increased satisfaction between couples, inc IV as exp of romantic relationships.
C - low IV because self report means people will be biased and subjective.
Individual differences
P - a weakness of equity theory is individual differences.
E- Huseman et al found that some people are less sensitive to equity, e.g. benevolents who are prepared to contribute more than they get out, or entitleds who feel they deserve to be over benefitted and accept it without feelings distressed or guilty.
E - shows equity is not as important in romantic relationships as equity theory suggests, an how equity isn’t global feature of romantic relationships and not universal law of social interaction.
L - therefore this decreases the population validity of generalisability of equity theory because different people have different needs and don’t follow equity theory.
Cultural differences
P - there is cultural differences in equity theory.
E - Aumer-Ryan et al found that there are cultural differences in the link between equity and satisfaction.
E- compared couples in collectivist and individualist found that individualist most satisfied when equitable (showing fairness, want individual needs satisfied) , collectivist more satisfied when they were overbenefitting ( as they want their partner to prioritise their needs), true for men and women.
L - this suggests that equity theory’s claim that equity is a universal need in relationship is unwarranted because people in different cultures are satisfied at different scales of equity theory that believes people will be dissatisfied at, shows cultural bias.
