Theories of romantic relationships

• What does Social Exchange Theory (SET) argue about people's behavior?

  People are motivated by self-interest
• What are the rewards mentioned in Social Exchange Theory?

  Social support and sexual gratification
• What are the costs associated with relationships according to SET?

  Time, money, and emotional costs
• How does the ratio of costs to rewards affect relationship satisfaction?

  It determines if the relationship is satisfying
• What indicates a profitable relationship in SET?

  Rewards outweigh costs
• What happens when costs outweigh rewards in a relationship?

  It leads to dissatisfaction and possible breakdown
• Who viewed relationships as business transactions?

  Thibaut and Kelley
• What is the comparison level in SET?

  General expectation of rewarding relationships
• What was the key study related to Social Exchange Theory?

  The study by Floyd and Wosner
• What was the procedure of Floyd and Wosner's study?

  • 238 students in relationships
  • Completed a questionnaire
  • Measured satisfaction, commitment, and alternatives
• What correlation did Floyd and Wosner find in their study?

  Satisfaction was positively correlated with commitment
• What did Floyd and Wosner's results support?

  Social Exchange Theory
• A limitation of the social exchange theory is the lack of cause and effect. Explain

  • Dissatisfaction occurs when costs outweigh benefits
  • Argyle found that we do not monitor costs or rewards till after satisfaction
  • This suggests that considering costs/alternatives is caused by dissatisfaction rather than the reverse
• Another limitation is the inappropriate assumptions

  • SET assumes relationships are economic in nature
  • SET claims that these concepts apply to all relationships
  • Mills arguee that we cannot apply to romantic relationships as they are communal bases, as its may destroy trust
  • Not all relationships are exchanged-based
• What does equity theory state about relationships?

  Relationships should be fair regarding rewards and costs
• What do couples monitor according to equity theory?

  What they and their partner contribute and receive
• What is crucial in equity theory regarding perceptions?

  Perception of fairness in rewards and costs
• What happens when there is a lack of equity in a relationship?

  One partner over-benefits while the other under-benefits
• How does the person under-benefitting feel?

  Dissatisfied
• How does the person over-benefitting feel?

  Guilty
• What might one partner do if they feel under-benefitted?

  End the relationship
• What might motivate a couple to repair their relationship?

  Restoring equity
• What was the key study related to equity theory?

  • Mary Utne et al (1984)
  • Survey of 118 recently-married couples
  • Measured equity with self-report scales
  • Participants aged 16-45 years
  • Couples together for 2 years before marriage
• What did the results of Utne et al's study find about equitable relationships?

  More satisfaction compared to inequitable relationships
• What was the main focus of the equity theory in relationships?

  Fair distribution of rewards and costs
• Contradictory research (Berg McQuinn) for Equity Theory

  • Found that equity did not increase over time, as would be predicted by the equity theory
  • Nor did the researchers find that relationships which ended and those which continued differed in terms of equity. Other variables were more significant
  • Undermines validity
• There is cause and effect (Clark + mills) for equity theory. Explain

  • Utne et al found that both over-benefiting and under-benefiting led to dissatisfaction
  • Clark argued that as soon as one looks at other's contributions there is a sign of dissatisfaction
  • Suggests equity theory is valid in some cases
• Who proposed the investment model in 1980?

  Rusbult
• What does the investment model suggest about relationship stability?

  It is determined by partners' perceived rewards
• What are the two types of investments mentioned in the investment model?

  Intrinsic and extrinsic investments
• What happens to extrinsic investments if a relationship ends?

  They are lost
• What was the key study related to the investment model?

  • Reviewed 52 studies from 1970-1999
  • Included 11,000 participants from 5 countries
• What three factors predicted relationship commitment according to the study results?

  Satisfaction, comparison with alternatives, investment size
• What was found about relationships with greater commitment?

  They were more stable and lasted longer
• Give an example of an intrinsic investments

  Money
• Give an example of an extrinsic investments

  Children
• A strength of the investment model is that it explains abusive relationships. Explain.

  • Rusbult and Martz studied domestically abused women at a shelter
  • Found that those most likely to return to abusive partners had the highest investment
  • These women were dissatisfied with their relationships yet still stayed committed to them
• A weakness of the investment model is that there is a counterpoint to Le and Agnew's study. Explain

  • Most studies were correlational; do not allow us to conclude that the factors identified by the model cause commitment in a relationship
  • More commitment you are feeling towards the partner, the more investment you are willing to put into the relationship
  • Its not clear that the model has identified the causes of commitment rather than the factors associated with it
• Who devised the four-phase stage model of relationship breakdown?

  Duck
• What is the focus of the intra-psychic phase?

  Cognitive processes within the individual