Relationships - 3. Theories of Romantic Relationships: 1. Social Exchange Theory

Question 1

Who developed the social exchange theory and when?

Answer 1

Thibault and Kelley in 1959

Question 2

Shortened version of social exchange theory

Answer 2

SET

Question 3

What type of theory is the social exchange theory?

Answer 3

An economic theory

Question 4

Outline of the SET in terms of profits and losses

Answer 4

In romantic relationships, we want to maximise our profits (rewards from a relationship such as companionship and the feeling of being loved) while also minimising our losses (costs from a relationship such as time and stress)

Question 5

What makes a relationship successful according to the SET?

Answer 5

Both parties are expected to give and take in equal proportions.
Rewards received from being in a relationship must outweigh the costs of being in that relationship

Question 6

What is the opportunity cost involved in being a relationship?

Answer 6

This refers to the cost in terms of the lost alternative (E.g. not being able to spend time with family as you are committed to seeing your girlfriend that day)

Question 7

2 ways to measure the profit in a relationship

Answer 7

Comparison level (CL
Comparison level alternative (CLalt)

Question 8

What does CL refer to?

Answer 8

The rewards that you believe you deserve to gain from the relationship

Question 9

What factors can impact our CL?

Answer 9

Our experiences of previous relationships, social norms and society in general

Question 10

Example of past relationship experience impacting CL

Answer 10

If I got cheated on, my CL may be lowered as a may be happy being with someone who simply won’t cheat on me. This wouldn’t have happened unless I had my past experience.
Equally if I just left a really positive relationship, I would have a high CL

Question 11

How may one base their CL on social norms?

Answer 11

They use social norms to shape their reasonable rewards that they expect to get. This is gained through reading books, watching films, watching TV programmes etc

Question 12

How does the CL develop?

Answer 12

The more relationships we have, the more that the CL is developed

Question 13

Person with a high CL and person with a low CL

Answer 13

Person with a low CL will be satisfied with gaining just a small profit (or even a loss) from a relationship
Person with a high CL will have higher self-esteem and believe they are worth a lot more and deserve lots

Question 14

CLalt

Answer 14

Could we gain greater rewards and lesser costs from an alternative to this current relationship, such as starting a new relationship or becoming single?

Question 15

When do alternatives become more appealing?

Answer 15

When the costs of the relationship outweigh the rewards

Question 16

You’re only going to start questioning your current relationship when you become…

Answer 16

Dissatisfied

Question 17

4 stages of relationship development

Answer 17

1. Sampling stage
2. Bargaining stage
3. Commitment stage
4. Institutionalisation stage

Question 18

Sampling stage

Answer 18

We explore the rewards and costs of social exchange by experimenting with them in our own relationships or by observing others doing so

Question 19

Bargaining stage

Answer 19

Romantic partners reach a compromise to ensure both individuals feel like they’re getting more rewards than costs from the relationship

Question 20

Commitment stage

Answer 20

The sources of costs and rewards become more predictable and the relationship becomes more stable. There’s always a proportion of time/energy given to the partner and it doesn’t need to be bargained/compromised anymore

Question 21

Institutionalisation stage

Answer 21

The partners are now settled down because the norms of the relationship, in terms of rewards and costs, are firmly establishedW

Question 22

Why do relationships breakdown according to the SET?

Answer 22

If there are few rewards to a relationship and a high number of attractive alternatives

Question 23

How did Hatfield question newlyweds to find support for the SET?

Answer 23

He questioned newlyweds about their level of contentment in their marriage and found that the happiest people were were those who felt that the marriage was equal for both partners in terms of costs and benefits

Question 24

Who carried out key research to support the SET?

Answer 24

Kurdek and Schmitt

Question 25

What did K and S investigate?

Answer 25

Investigated the importance of social exchange factors in determining relationship quality in 185 couples

Question 26

Couples involved in K and S’s study

Answer 26

Heterosexual and gay couples who were either married or cohabiting

Question 27

Method of K and S’s study into the SET?

Answer 27

Each couple completed a questionnaire without discussing their answers with each other

Question 28

Findings of K and S’s study into the SET

Answer 28

For every type of couple greater relationship satisfaction was associated with the perception of many benefits of the current relationships (CL) and seeing alternative as less attractive (CLalt)

Question 29

Limitations of the SET: assumption made

Answer 29

Assumes that people are inherently selfish in relationships by trying to maximise their rewards while minimising the costs

Question 30

Limitations of the SET: Equity Theory

Answer 30

Equity Theory states that people aren’t looking for a relationship in which they can over-benefit, but one in which the rewards for both parties are equal

Question 31

Limitations of the SET: quantification difficulty

Answer 31

It’s difficult to quantify/operationalise what ‘rewards’ and ‘costs’ are as they are subjective and unique to each person

Question 32

Limitations of the SET: research into the SET

Answer 32

Most of the research into it is artificial

Question 33

Limitations of the SET: culturally bias

Answer 33

Doesn’t explain relationships such as arranged marriages and relationships where the man has all of the decision making

Question 34

Limitations of the SET: other factors that may lead to relationships breaking down

Answer 34

Fails to mention other factors that may contribute to a breakdown (E.g. peer disapproval of the relationship)