social exchange theory

• Thibault and Kelley (1959): economic theory, comparing it to a business

  • commit and stay in relationships if it is profitable, gaining something out of it to receive MAX rewards and MIN costs
• comparison level; the amount of rewards that you think you deserve

  influence on your decision

  • past relationships
  • observing others
  • social media
  • social norms
  • self-esteem
• comparison level for alternatives; attractiveness of others that are outside of your relationships, being single or looking for other partners

  • Duck (1994): comparison level for alternatives that we adopt will depend on the state of our current relationship. if the cost outweigh rewards then we look for alternatives
• stages of relationship development;

  1. sampling stage = exploring the rewards and costs of social exchange by experimenting with them in our own relationships by observing
  2. bargaining stage = marks the beginning of a relationship when romantic partners start exchanging various rewards and costs - negotiating what is most profitable
  3. commitment stage = source of costs and rewards become more predictable, rewards increase
  4. institutionalisation stage = partners are settled down because the norms are established
• evaluation of social exchange

  strengths

  • real-world application to therapy, provide counselling for couples
  • takes accountability for some individual differences, people will perceive costs and rewards differently

  weakness;

  • subjective, difficult to define for specific individuals
  • dissatisfied effects you to look for alternatives rather than cause us to look for others.
  • limited application to unhealthy relationship, abusive
  • assumes people can make ration decisions, when love clouds our thoughts