Social exchange theory (SET)

• What is SET


  Assumes romantic partners act of self interest exchanging costs+rewards

  How we feel in relationship based on: balance of give/take // relationship we think we deserve // chance of better relationship with other
• rewards costs profits in SET


  Proposes social behavior is result of exchange process to maximise rewards and minimise costs. Satisfaction based on profit.

  Costs are negatives like money, effort. Benefits are like fun, friendships
• comparison level in SET


  Weigh costs benefits and establish comparision (amount of reward we believe we deserve) based on social expectations and norms + past experience

  someone with low self esteem has lower comparison level and satisfied with small profit.
• comparison level for alternatives in SET

  Stay in relationship as long as its more rewarding than alternative people. If costs outweigh rewards > alternatives become more attractive. In a satisfying relationship you may not notice alternatives
• weakness of SET: doesnt account for different types of relationships 


  work relationships would involve an exchange process but communal relationships would not. SET says we are monitoring exchanges which we do not in relationship. doesn’t account for majority of relationships
• weakness of SET: ignores equity


  Idea of profit ignores fairness/equity

  research supports equity as more important than exchanges.

  SET limited explanation as neglects ideas supported by research
• weakness of SET: artificial research


  studies supporting SET used artificial conditions. studies opposing SET used realistic conditions.

  lacks generalisability as doesn’t actually account for real long term relationship