Theories of romantic relationships: Social Exchange Theory

Question 1

Outline- social exchange theory

Answer 1

• A theory of how relationships form and develop. It assumes that romantic partners act out of self-interest in exchanging rewards and costs.
• a satisfying and committed relationship is maintained when rewards exceed costs and alternatives are less attractive than the current relationship.

Question 2

Outline- comparison level

Answer 2

• this is the amount of reward you think you deserve from a relationship compared to the cost, informed by social norms.
• it is also informed by self-esteem of yourself, as if you have low self-esteem you may thing you don’t deserve as much from the relationship.

Question 3

Outline- comparison level for alternatives

Answer 3

• We consider whether we could get more rewards and fewer costs elsewhere.
• ‘could I do better’

Question 4

Outline- Stages of relationship development

Answer 4

Sampling stage: we explore the rewards and costs of social exchange by experimenting with them in our own relationships, or by observing others doing so.
Bargaining stage: this is the beginning of the relationship. When partners start exchanging rewards and costs, negotiating and identifying what is most profitable.
Commitment stage: as time goes on, the source of costs and rewards become more predictable and the relationship becomes more stable as rewards increase and costs lessen.
Institutionalisation stage: the patterns are now settled down because the norms of the relationship in terms of rewards and costs are firmly established.
SBCI- slags become consistently irritating

Question 5

Evaluation- innapropriate assumptions underlying SET (social exchange theory)

Answer 5

• Clarke and mills suggest that not all relationships involve exchange of rewards and comparison with costs.
• they suggest that exchange relationships such as work colleagues do involve social exchange. But communal relationships such as romantic partners are marked by the giving and receiving of rewards without keeping score of who is ahead.

Question 6

Evaluation- SET ignores equity

Answer 6

• both partners profits must be roughly similar; equity (fairness) theory suggests this is more important than the awards and cost for each.
• this argues against SET theory which ignores equity, and focuses solely on the balance of rewards and costs.

Question 7

Evaluation- Argyle (1987)

Answer 7

• in real life we do not measure costs and rewards constantly to see if out relationship is equal
• not do we constantly consider the attractiveness of alternatives.