theories of romantic relationships: social exchange theory

Question 1

rewards, cost and profits

Answer 1

-an economic theory by thibault and kelley(1959)
-use concepts from economics and operant conditioning
-see if RS is rewarding

Question 2

what is social exhange theory based on?

Answer 2

-minimax princple
-we maxmise our rewards and minimise costs
-we weigh benefits and costs

Question 3

what do rewards include

Answer 3

-companionship, emotional support, sex and praise

Question 4

what do costs include

Answer 4

-time, stress, energy and compromise

Question 5

what is opportunity cost?

Answer 5

time and investement in current RS means using resources that you cannot expend elsewhere.

Question 6

how is the outcome viewed as?

Answer 6

-satisfaction depends on the outcome
-rewards-cost= outcome
-commit to RS if outcome is profitable
-a LOSS occurs if the COSTS start to outweigh the REWARDS; if RS stops being profitable it can end.

Question 7

what is a comparison level?

Answer 7

-judgements of the reward level we expect in a RS
-determined by past RS, social norms
-what someone DESERVES from RS
-what you COMPARE your partner to
-pursue RS where comaprison level is HIGH

Question 8

how are individuals w low self esteem effected by the comaparison level?

Answer 8

-individuals w low self esteem may have low comaprison levels
-comparison levels change overtime and depend on social norms

Question 9

what is comparison level of alternatives?

Answer 9

-consider wether we gain more rewards and endure fewer costs in a diff RS
-will stay in RS if we believe its more rewarding then alternatives

Question 10

what did DUCK(1994) say about comparison level of alternatives?

Answer 10

-always alternatives around
-if costs of current RS outweigh REWARDS= alternatives become attractive
-if we are in a SATISYING RS we might not notice alternatives

Question 11

A few A03 points on the comparison level already?!

Answer 11

-are these really consious or uncousis judgements?
-rewards and costs arent very objective

Question 12

what are the names of the stages of RS developement

Answer 12

sampling, bargaining,commitment, institutionalization

Question 13

what is sampling

Answer 13

explore rewards and costs
experimenting in own RS or observing others(exploring the worth of social exchange)

Question 14

what is bargaining

Answer 14

-marks beginning of RS
-romantic partners start exchanging rewards and costs
-negotiate and identify whats profitable
-partners test if deeper RS is worthwhile

Question 15

what is commitment?

Answer 15

-increase predictability
-each partners knows how to elicit/get rewards from other allows for lower costs

Question 16

what is institutionalisation?

Answer 16

-Rs norms developed establish patterns of rewards and costs for each partner

Question 17

weakness of this theory

Answer 17

(inappropriate central assumptions)
-SET assumes that all RS are exchange based; providing a economic nature ;profit , loss , constant monitoring SET applies it to all RS
HOWEVER, CLARK & MILLS= argue we cant apply to all romantic RS. romantic RS are communal based, romantic partners dont keep score bc if they did it destroys trust of an emotional RS.

(counterpoint research support)
-studies in SET(kurdeck)ignore equity in RS
-lots more support for equity in a RS
-not just balance rewards and costs but the partners perceptions that this is fair
-neglect equity means that SET is a limited explanation which cannot account for for significant proportion of research findings on RS.

(direction of cause and effect)
-SET claims dissatisfication occurs after RS is no longer profitable
-ARGYLE= argues we dont monitor costs and rewards . consider alternatives until we r disatissfied
-when satisified we commit to RS dont look at alternatives
-consider rewards and costs when disatsified rather than disastfied making people think of costs and rewards

(value concepts)
-concepts are vague and ahrd to quanitfy
-real world rewards and costs are subjective to define
-rewards and costs vary e.g some people see loyalty as rewarding but others dont
-comaprison level is problematic
-we dk what value CL and CLALT must be before disatisifaction threatns a RS
-theory hard to test in a valid way

Question 18

strengths of this theory?

Answer 18

(research support)
-Kurdeck asked les and gay couples to complete questionaries measuring commitmentn and SET varibales
-more commited partners more rewards and fewer costs (viewed alternative as unattarctive)
-findings match SET, confirms validity in gay and les couples