Equity theory

• Equity is an economic theory developed in response to social exchange theory by Walster et al 1978.
• Equity theory suggests people strive to achieve fairness in their relationships and both partners’ level of profit is the same.
• Inequity can make people feel dissatisfied in relationships.  
• Equity theory suggests that people are most satisfied when a partner puts a lot into the relationship but simultaneously gets a lot out of it.
• If someone is over-benefitted from the relationship, they may experience pity, guilt and shame.
• If someone is under-benefitted from the relationship, they may feel anger, sadness or resentment.
• The greater the inequity, the greater the dissatisfaction.
• Distribution is where trade-offs and compensations are negotiated to achieve fairness in a relationship
• The greater the degree of perceived unfairness, the greater the sense of dissatisfaction
• If restoring equity is possible, maintenance will continue, with attempts made to realign equity.
• To restore equity and realign, individuals may need to put in more or less to the relationship, change the amount they demand from it or change the perception of inputs/ outputs.
• Research support for equity theory. Schafer and Keith 1980 surveyed married couples of all ages and found during child-rearing years, wives reported feeling under-benefitted and husbands over-benefitted. Consequently, marriage satisfaction tended to dip during these years. However, during the honeymoon and empty-nest stages, both husbands and wives perceived equity and satisfaction within their marriages. This study is positive as it supports the view that equity correlates with relationship satisfaction.
• Research support. Waal et al 2003 studied female capuchin monkeys and found they became very angry if they were denied a reward. If another monkey unfairly received a reward instead, the capuchins grew angry and threw food at the experimenter. This suggests the perception of inequity has ancient, evolutionary origins and supports the findings of research in human studies.
• Individual differences. Huseman et al 1987 suggested equity sensitivity, suggesting there are three categories of people: benevolents, equity sensitives and entitleds. Entitleds prefer to be over-rewarded, having the attitude they are owed and entitled to receive benefits. Consequently, they often feel dissatisfied unless they are over-benefitting. This is problematic as equity theory fails to account for individual differences and is limited in explaining romantic relationships.
• Gender differences. DeMaris et al 2010 found men and women are not equally affected by inequality in romantic relationships. Women tend to perceive themselves as more under-benefitted than men. Sprecher 1992 found women feel more guilt in response to being over-benefitted. This is problematic as equity theory fails to account for individual differences and is limited in its application to both genders.