Social Exchange Theory Laws Theory according to Social Scientist CAN PREDICT WHY PEOPLE STAY IN UNSTATISFYING RELATIONSHIPS 1 History a Thibaut Kelly 1959 around the same time as cognitive dissonance theory i The Social Psychology of Groups 1 Aka Theory of Independence 2 Goals of Theory a To Explain how people evaluate relationships i Is it a good relationship or a bad relationship How do people assign value to the relationship 1 Think about relationships as an economic marketplace a Reciprocity You give me something and I give you something in return b What if anything am I getting out of the relationship 2 Evaluate relationships in terms of rewards and costs a Rewards All positive things that someone gets out of a relationship i Love comfort acceptance self disclosure attention etc b Costs PERCEEIVED negatives in a relationship i Positives can be seen as negatives depends on individual perceptions b To Predict whether people will stay in a relationship or leave it i If we can evaluate properly what is rewarding costly and when it is rewarding and costly THEN we can predict if we will stay in the relationship or not 1 We would think that if a relationship is good rewards exceed costs then people would stay in it and if it is bad costs exceed rewards then people would leave But this is not always the case 3 Assumptions a Human Nature i Humans are pleasure seeking they seek rewards and avoid punishments ii Humans are rational we are able to think through rewards costs and value of relationship before we behave iii Standards for evaluating rewards and costs vary over time and form person to person 1 What is rewarding to one person may not be rewarding to another a Ae Some people like physical attention while some people see it as a cost 2 What is perceived as rewarding at one point in time may later be perceived as a cost b Relationships i Relationships are interdependent one person s behavior in the relationship affects the other person s behavior in the relationship 1 Example One person moves the relationship becoming long distance does the other partner move as well Break up Stay together 2 Game Theory Prisoner s Dilemma What should each individual prisoner do a Purpose A move by one person affects the outcome moves of another person ii Relational life is a process 1 Rewards and costs can exchange roles over time as the relationship develops 4 Concepts a Costs Perceived negatives in a relationship b Rewards Perceived positives in a relationship c Worth Rewards Costs i If worth is negative or costs are greater than rewards we may leave the relationship d Outcome Should we stay in the relationship or leave it i Based on the result of the worth ii Although logic would tell us that negative worth means to leave the relationship and positive worth means to stay in the relationship that is not always reality e Comparison Level CL Standard for acceptable rewards and costs i What are our expectations about how we should be treated in a relationship what we should be getting out of it ii Comparison levels come from past relationship experiences what we are told about relationships and watching people who we care about endure a relationship 1 Our comparison levels may be different than other people s iii Determine our level of satisfaction in the relationship 1 Negative relationship high expectations dissatisfied 2 Positive relationship high expectations Satisfied 3 Positive relationship low expectations Satisfied f Comparison Level for Alternatives CLalt Lowest level of relational rewards acceptable Thibaut i Compare relationships to available alternatives if you are dissatisfied in the relationship look at alternatives Determines the stability of the relationship 1 Leave a relationship and be alone Or do you have alternatives a If you have a lot of alternatives you will probably leave relationship Fewer alternatives less likely to leave the relationship i Example Abusive relationships women is faced with few alternatives b c the husband may be the one supporting the kids financially 5 How Outcome CL and CLalt Affect the State of Relationship a Takes all concepts and determines the satisfaction stability of the relationship b Outcome What are you getting out of the current relationship i Compare outcome to CL to determine satisfaction 1 If outcome is greater than comparison level we are satisfied a We are getting more than our expectations 2 If outcome is lower than comparison level we are dissatisfied a We are getting less than our expectations ii Compare outcome to comparison level of alternatives to determine stability 1 If outcome is greater than comparison of alt relationship is stable a We are getting more than what we would be getting if we left 2 If outcome is less than comparison of alt relationship is unstable a We are getting less than we would be getting if we left 6 Explanation Theory in a nutshell a People look at relationship in economic terms by evaluating worth i Rewards greater than costs Positive ii Costs greater than rewards Negative b Look to CL to determine relational satisfaction i CL expectations greater than outcome or what you are getting Unsatisfying ii CL expectations less than outcome or what you are getting Satisfying c Do you find yourself unsatisfied Look at CLalt to make decision to stay or go i No alternatives Stay in relationship even if it is unsatisfying ii Many alternatives Leave relationship 7 Evaluation a Positives i Heuristic Value Stands the test of time b Negatives i Limited Scope 1 Should apply to most relationships but could be culturally subjective 2 Theory should have a boundary condition to acknowledge the fact that this theory might not hold true for more collectivistic cultures ii Testable 1 Some argue that this really is not a theory that we can predict and then test those predictions rewards and costs are individual perceptions iii Are Assumptions True 1 Rationality We don t just look at relationships in economic terms there are other things going on such as emotions 2 Self Interest Some do not want to believe that we might be so self interested to just attempt to maximize rewards minimize costs we are not this selfish 8 Exchange Patterns in Relationships costs a Behavioral rules or norms that indicate how people trade resources to maximize rewards and minimize i Assumes that people are driven to achieve goals in their interactions with others ii Behavior Sequences A series of actions designed to achieve a goal b Patters allow people
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