AO3 - Equity Theory

• Research to support equity theory as a theory of romantic relationships was carried out by Utne et al. They carried out a questionnaire of 118 recently-married couples who had been together for more than 2 years before marrying, measuring equity. They found that couples who considered their relationship equitable were more satisfied than those who saw themselves as overbenefitting or underbenefitting. Supporting that equity theory is an important factor to predict satisfaction in romantic relationships.
• However, much of the research investigating the equity theory is correlational. Therefore, a cause and effect cannot be established between inequity and dissatisfaction in relationships. For example, there could be another intervening factor impacting the dissatisfaction within the romantic relationship such as, the amount the couple communicate with each other. Therefore, limiting the support and internal validity of the research into the equity theory of romantic relationships.
• A limitation of the equity theory as a theory of romantic relationships is that it may not apply to all cultures. Couples from individualistic cultures (USA) considered their relationships to be the most satisfying when the relationship was most equitable whereas couples from collectivist cultures (Jamaica) were most satisfied when they were overbenefitting. Limiting the external validity of the equity theory as a theory of romantic relationships as it only applies to certain cultures.
• An alternative theory of romantic relationships is Rusbult’s Investment Model. He suggest that equity is not the most important factor when it comes to maintaining relationships but investment. He suggests that the more investment people put into a relationship e.g. time, money, children, house, the less likely that relationship is to break down rather than the fairness of the relationship. Therefore, equity may not be the sole reason relationships are maintained, their may be other factors involved also, limiting equity theory as a theory of romantic relationships.