Social exchange theory:

• STRENGTH:

  • support for aspects of SET from research studies
  • Kurdek asked gay lesbian and heterosexual couples to complete questionnaires measuring relationship commitment and SET variables
  • Found that those partners who were most committed also perceived the most rewards and fewer costs and viewed alternatives as relatively unattractive
  • More importantly this was the first study to demonstrate that the main SET concepts that predict commitment are independent of each other

  Match predictions from SET confirming the validity of the theory
• COUNTERPOINT:

  • Studies into SET (including Kurdek's) ignore one crucial factor that may be an overwhelming consideration for romantic partners - equity.
  • There is much research support for the role of equity in relationships
  • What matters is not just the balance of rewards and costs, but the partners' perceptions that this is fair

  The neglect of equity means that SET is a limited explanation which cannot account for a significant proportion of the research findings on relationships.
• X

  • Deals in concepts that are vague and hard to quantify
  • Rewards and costs have been defined superficially in research in order to measure them
  • But real-world psychological rewards and costs are subjective and harder to define
  • IE most people would consider 'having your partner's loyalty' to be rewarding
  • But rewards and costs differ from person to person 'having loyalty' is not a reward for everyone
  • The concept of comparison levels is problematic It is unclear what the values of CL and CLalt must be before dissatisfaction threatens a relationship

  Difficult to test in a valid way