Social exchange:

• • so called economic theory
  • described as a series of exchanges aiming at balancing rewards and costs
• Rewards, Costs and profits:

  Thilbault and Kelly 1959 claimed that behaviour in a relationship reflects the economic assumptions of exchange

  We try to minimise the losses and maximise gains and that we judge out satisfaction in a relationship in terms of the profit yields defended as the rewards minus the costs

  Rewards include intimacy companionship and emotional support However rewards and costs are subjective

  IE you care about being praised by your partner but they may not be bothered by it

  BUT the value of rewards and costs might change over during the relationship
• Rewards, profit and costs:

  Relationship is not always pleasant it can involve negative and unpleased emotions

  In the economic language Blau 1964 relationships can be expensive so costs include time stress energy compromise etc

  In economic terms a relationship incurs another kind of cost an opportunity cost

  Refers to the fact that your investing all your time and energy on the person you're dating but your loosing out on the opportunity to be investing your time in another potential partner

  Two measures of profit

  1. The comparison level (CL)
  2. The comparison level for alternatives (CLalt)
• Comparison level 


  • Based on the person’s idea of how much reward they deserve to receive in a relationships
  • Understanding is subjective depends on previous romantic experiences and cultural norms of what is appropriate to expect from relationships are reinforced by books films and TV
  • People consider relationships worth pursing if the Comparison level is equal to or better than what they experienced in their previous relationships
  • Linked to self esteem person with high self esteem has higher expectations of rewards to receive in a relationship compared to someone with a low self esteem
• Comparison Level For alternatives (CLalt)

  • Concerns a persons perception of whether other potential relationships or staying on their own would be more rewarding than being in their current relationship.
  • According to this theory people will stick to their current relationship as long as they find them more profitable than the alternatives.
  • Duck (1994), if people consider themselves to be content in their current relationships, they may not even notice that there are available alternatives.
• Stages of relationship development

  1. Sampling stage Explore rewards and costs of social exchange by experimenting with them in our own relationships or by observing others doing so
  2. Bargaining stage Beginning of a relationship when romantic partners start exchanging rewards and costs negotiating what is most profitable
  3. Commitment stage As time goes on costs and rewards become more predictable and the relationship becomes more stable as rewards increase and cost lessens
  4. Institutionalisation stage The partners are now settled down because the norms of rewards and costs are finally firmed