AO1

• Most people have a need for equity in relationships. Social exchange theory suggests that partners aim to maximise the rewards and minimise the costs of a relationship. In contrast, Walster et al. propose that equity is more important, where both partners' level of profit should be roughly the same.
• Equity is about the fairness of ratios. It is not the size or amount of the rewards and costs that matters, it is the ratio of the two to each other. For example, if one partner is disabled, they may not be able to do certain chores, but they compensate in other areas, so both partners still feel a sense of fairness.
• Under-benefiting and over-benefiting from a relationship can lead to dissatisfaction. The under-benefited partner is likely to be the least satisfied, and their feelings may be evident in anger and resentment. The over-benefited partner may feel less dissatisfied, but is likely to feel discomfort and shame.
• The greater the perceived inequity in a relationship, the greater the dissatisfaction. Equity theory predicts a strong positive correlation between the two. This applies to both the over-benefited and under-benefited partner.
• Changes in equity can occur during a relationship. At the start of a relationship, it may feel perfectly natural to contribute more than you receive. If that situation carries on as the relationship develops, then dissatisfaction will set in.
• Some relationships can deal with inequity. The under-benefited partner may make the relationship more equitable if they feel the relationship is salvageable. The greater the inequity, the harder it is to restore equity.
• The change could be cognitive rather than behavioral, as they might revise their perceptions of rewards and costs so the relationships feels more equitable, even if nothing changes. What once was perceived as a cost, e.g. abuse, can become accepted as the norm for the relationship.