social exchange theory

Question 1

AO1

Answer 1

thibaut & kelly (1959)

individuals perceive a relationship to be satisfactory based on the exchange of rewards gained and costs incurred by being in that relationship. commitment to relationship is dependent on how profitable it is to the individual , measured on 2 levels

comparison level (CL) - level we judge a relationship against. based on our perceptions of other relationships we have had or seen. if a potential new relationship compares highly to our individual comparison level then we are likely to want to form that relationship.
- subjective measure & can be affected by factors e.g. self-esteem, explaining why an individual may stay in an unhealthy relationship

comparison level for alternatives (CL Alt) - compare costs vs benefits in our current relationship with those of other potential relationship
- if potential rewards of being in a new relationship outweighs the cost of the current relationship, then we are likely to end current relationship

outcome of this analysis known as payoff matrix. we will form and maintain relationship in the event of a positive payoff matrix (where benefits outweigh costs) and will quit a relationship if it becomes too costly

4 stages of social exchange:
sampling - we experiment with the costs and benefits we receive in different relationships in our lives

bargaining - at the start of a relationship, we begin to negotiate various costs and benefits to maximise our profit

commitment - relationship is maintained as we begin to predict what the exchange of our costs vs benefits will be for us

institutionalisation - relationship becomes lasting once our costs vs benefits are firmly established

Question 2

strength 1

Answer 2

convincing evidence from Susan Sprecher (2001)

measured satisfaction in 101 couples at university in the US

found that when committed to the relationship, CL higher when higher level of reward and CL Alt was lower. when deciding to break up, CL lower with lower level of reward and higher CL Alt

provides evidence CL play a role in the maintenance of a relationship

Question 3

limit 1

Answer 3

treats all relationships the same

this is because it assumes relationships are based on the principles of exchange and reduces the relationships down to costs vs benefits

this may not apply to relationships which are not maintained in this way. Clarke and Mills (2011) argue SET ignores the ‘communal couple’ who are less concerned by this as it may be seen as unattractive and assume costs vs benefits balance out overall

this suggests SET may not provide a valid explanation of all relationships

Question 4

limit 2

Answer 4

it is hard to operationalise

this is because factors such as costs and benefits are subjective so it is hard to measure an individuals CL and CL alt before they are dissatisfied with their relationship

Argyle (1987) argues SET ignores the fact that relationships are experienced as being more than the sum of benefits minus costs, and so it ignores the complexity of loving long-term relationships. in reality we only notice how unfair a relationship is once we become dissatisfied

this suggests that, as SET is difficult to measure, it is hard to support it with valid research findings and may only apply to the part of the relationship where one of the couple becomes unhappy