SOCIAL EXCHANGE AND PARTNER SELECTION Social Exchange Main focus Central Assumptions rewards costs of relationships o Social behaviors are exchanges o Maximize rewards reduce costs o Will accept certain costs accrued o Obligation of reciprocity Key Concepts Rewards satisfactions pleasures and gratifications exchanged in social relationships what you receive in a relationship provides friendship love affection Costs drawbacks or expenses to receive the rewards graduate school vs full time income Outcomes balance of rewards and costs Profit type of outcome where one person puts little into the relationship but gets larger reward rewards minus costs Reciprocity o Norm of reciprocity People share rewards responsibilities more interaction expect mutual reciprocity which results in development of trust o Norm of fairness Expectation of fairness in proportion of rewards to costs o Equity Ratio of investments to profits similar or proportional for all parties Dependence Degree to which one comes to rely on a partner for relationship outcomes Power Control of another s behavior through the ability to elicit compliance or resist the other s influence Principle of least interest Perceptions Not necessarily actual costs benefits two people may value things differently Expectations related to satisfaction Comparison level what you think you deserve what you perceive in other relationships Influenced by family of origin peer relationships individuals and experiences in previous relationships Commitment degree to which one is willing to work for the continuation of the relationship Attachment Theory 1 Secure o Positive early family relationships trusting toward others o Strong sense of self easily develops closeness o Balanced secure in self and relationships 2 Dismissive 3 Preoccupied o Typically avoidant in childhood o Suppresses feelings avoids conflict emotionally removed protective of self o Appears overly independent counter dependent o Anxious ambivalent in childhood o Critical insecure self doubt needy seeks approval o Deep fear of rejection clingy and overly dependent 4 Fearful Avoidant o Disorganized style in childhood o Detached feelings during trauma adaptive o Desire relationships ruffled by closeness unpredictable Murstein s Stimulus Value Role Theory SVR Filtering Model of Mate Selection Proximity Filter Exposure to the Pool of Eligible Mates Stimulus Filter Physical Personal Attractiveness Value Filter Comparison Similarity Role Filter Compatibility Selection Engagement Marriage Reiss Wheel Theory of Love In this theory love is viewed as a developmental process Four Processes 1 Rapport 2 Self Revelation 3 Mutual Dependency 4 Personality Need Fulfillment Establish rapport self disclose develop mutual dependency fulfill needs With fulfillment comes more rapport additional self disclosure etc Theory can also help to explain how one can fall out of love disconnected less disclosure less dependency less fulfillment less rapport While Reiss s theory is helpful to understand how love develops it does not discuss how one can experience different types of love in relationships Sternberg s Triangular Theory of Love Proposes three different components of love 1 Intimacy emotional connection 2 Passion 3 Commitment Based on the presence or absence of these different types of love o Empty love commitment only o Companionate love commitment and intimacy o Fatuous love passion and commitment o Infatuation passion only o Romantic love passion and intimacy o Liking intimacy only o Total consummate love all three present intimacy passion commitment Sternberg relates that consummate love is easier to achieve than to keep underscores the importance of maintenance behaviors in relationships Key Partner Selection Terms Homogamy Assortative Partnering Elements of similarity Endogamy Partner within own social class race religion or language group Exogamy Partnering outside of one s group o EXAMPLES OF ENDOGAMY EXOGAMY Social class socioeconomic status o Location school attendance work o Commonalities Age o Double standard of aging o Marriage gradient women partner up in terms of age height education income prestige etc o Explanations social learning socialization sociobiological evolutionary