Theories of romantic relationships: Social exchange theory

• Social exchange theory


  Theories of romantic relationships
• Social exchange theory


  • Behaviour in relationships reflect the economic assumptions of exchanges
  • We try to minimise losses + maximise gains
  • Judge our satisfaction w/ a relationship in terms of profit it yields, defined as the rewards minus the costs
  • Such rewards + costs are subjective, there exists a wide range of possible outcomes
  • The value of rewards + costs might well change over the course of a relationship
• Rewards


  • Companionship
  • Sex
  • Emotional support
• Costs


  • Time
  • Stress
  • Energy
  • Compromise
• Opportunity cost


  Your investment of time + energy in your current relationship means using resources that you cannot invest elsewhere
• Comparison level (CL)


  The amount of reward that you believe you deserve to get, developed out of our experiences of previous relationships and influenced by social norms
• Self-esteem


  Someone w/ low self-esteem will have a low CL + will therefore be satisfied w/ gaining just a small profit from a relationship
• Comparison level for alternatives (CLalt)

  The wider context for our current relationship, depends on the state of our current relationship
• Stages of relationship development

  1. Sampling stage

  2. Bargaining stage

  3. Commitment stage

  4. Institutionalisation stage
• Romantic relationships are not always 'a bed of roses' and can involve negative + unpleasant emotions as well as pleasurable ones