Comparison levels (CL) are one measure of the profit in a relationship & it refers to the amount of reward a person thinks they deserve to get.
It's influenced by previous relationships & social norms (affected by the media). If the person’s CL is high, they will think the relationship is worth pursuing.
People with high self-esteem are more likely to have a high CL (and low CL for those with low self-esteem) meaning the expectation of reward is greater.
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Comparision level for alternatives ( CLalt)
This involves a person considering whether they would get more rewards, and fewer costs, from another relationship, or from being single than in their current relationship.
The theory states that the person will remain in the relationship if they think that the current relationship will give greater profit than the alternatives.
This is affected by the state of the current relationship - if it is satisfying, there is much less need to consider alternatives.
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Stages of relationship development
Sampling stage: exploring the rewards & costs of relationships through experimentation.
Bargaining stage: the beginning of a relationship, where the costs and rewards are identified through exchange and negotiation.
Commitment stage: costs and rewards become more predictable and the relationship becomes more stable- rewards increase, costs lessen.
Institutionalisation stage: the norms of the relationship are firmly established
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