Social Exchange Theory

• Social exchange theory - Thibault and Kelley(1959)


  An economic theory of how relationships form and develop.

  Assume that people in romantic relationships both seek exchange - each partner acts out of self interest in exchanging rewards and costs.
• People aim to minimise losses and maximise gains(the minimax principle)
• What are rewards in a relationship?

  • Companionship
  • Sex
  • Emotional support
• What are the costs of a relationship

  • Time
  • Stress
  • Energy
  • Compromise
• Blau suggests that relationships can be expensive because of these costs but can also include an ‘opportunity cost’ - missing opportunities elsewhere!
• The costs and rewards of relationships are subjective and thus, may change over the course of a relationship
• What are the two ways of measuring a relationship‘s profit?

  Studying our:

  • Comparison level (CL)
  • Comparison level for alternatives (CLalt)
• Comparison level


  The amount of reward one believes they are deserving of. These are developed through our experience of previous relationships and the influence of social norms that determine what is a reasonable amount of reward in a culture e.g. things portrayed in the media, social or literary
• Comparison levels for alternatives


  Our comparison to the alternative relationships we could have, this is what helps us understand if we can ’do better’. (Difference is that this measure looks at the wider content of our relationship). Duck suggests that the CLalt we adopt will depend on the state of our current relationship
• Duck’s suggestion alludes to the idea that if our costs outweigh the rewards of our relationship, alternatives become more attractive but if one is in a satisfying relationship, they would not notice the alternatives
• Thibault and Kelley’s stages of relationship development

  1. Sampling stage - exploring costs and rewards by experimenting with them in our own relationship or by observing others doing so
  2. Bargaining stage - start of a relationship where romantic partners start exchanging rewards and costs, negotiating and identifying what’s most profitable
  3. Commitment stage - sources of rewards/costs become more predictable, stability in relationship, stable rewards, costs lessen
  4. Institutionalisation stage - partners are now settled down because of relationship norms, costs and rewards firmly established