AO3

• Strength:

  Supporting Evidence from Real Relationships

  • Study: Utne et al. (1984) surveyed 118 recently married couples and found that those who perceived their relationship as equitable reported higher levels of satisfaction than those who felt over-benefited or under-benefited.
  • Strength: Provides real-world evidence that equity contributes to relationship satisfaction, supporting the theory’s validity.
• Strength:

  Cross-Cultural Support:

  • Study: Aumer-Ryan et al. (2007) found that while equity was linked to satisfaction in individualist cultures (e.g., the US), collectivist cultures (e.g., China) were more satisfied even in inequitable relationships.
  • Strength: Suggests equity is important but also highlights cultural variations, showing the theory has broad but not universal applicability.
• Weakness:

  Not All Relationships Focus on Equity:

  • Study: Clark and Mills (2011) argued that equity is more relevant in friendships and casual relationships, while romantic relationships often involve communal rather than exchange-based interactions.
  • Weakness: Challenges the idea that all relationships operate on a fairness principle, reducing the theory’s generalizability.
• Weakness:

  Difficulties in Measuring Equity:

  • Study: Huseman et al. (1987) found that some individuals, called ‘benevolents,’ are willing to give more than they receive, while ‘entitleds’ expect to receive more than they give.
  • Weakness: Suggests that equity is subjective, making it hard to measure and apply consistently across different individuals and relationships.
• Strength:

  Support from Research in Real-Life Relationships

  • Study: Stafford and Canary (2006) conducted a study on married couples and found that partners who felt their relationship was equitable reported higher satisfaction and better communication than those who felt their relationship was unfair.
  • Strength: This research supports the key premise of equity theory, that fairness and balance in relationships contribute to relationship satisfaction.
  • It strengthens the theory’s ecological validity by showing its relevance in real-world relationships.