Maintenance of Romantic Relationships

(A01) Thibaut & Kelley 1959

1) profit + loss 2) Comparison level

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(A01) Thibaut & Kelley 1959 - Profit and Loss

'Economic' theory. Assumption that all relationships are a series of exchanges, to maximise rewards and minimise costs. Rewards-Costs=Outcome. Relationship commitment is dependant upon profit of outcome.

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(A01) Thibaut & Kelley 1959 - Comparison level (CL)

A standard against which all our relationships are judged. It's built from past experiences and general expectations. If it exceeds the CL it'll be percieved as worthwhile.

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(A01) Thibaut & Kelley 1959 - Comparison Level for Alternatives

Where a person weighs up a potential increase in reward from a separate partnes, minus any costs from ending current relationship. A new relationship may flourish if profit level is significantly higher than current.

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(A02) Rusbut & Martz 1995 - Abusive relatinoships

Argue that when investments are high and alternatives are low, this may still be considered a profit situation and a woman may choose to stay in a relatinoship.

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(A02) Simpson et al 1990

asked pp's to rate members of opposite sex in terms of attractiveness. Those already in a relationship rated them significantly lower.

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(A02) CL disparity

SET does not explain why some leave relationships despite having no alternatives, nor does it suggest how great the disparity in Cl must be to be unsatisfactory

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(A02) Duck & Sants 1983

SET focuses too much on individuals perspectives and ignores social aspects of a relatinoship such as how partners communicate and interpret shared events.

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(A02) Selfish Nature

Is it really true that people only maintain relationships out of hedonistic views?

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(A02) Gottman & Levenson 1992

successful marriages have a ration of + to - exchanges of around 5:1, unsuccessful marriages was around 1:1. This gives indication that a goal may be to heighten + exhanges.

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(A02) Integrated Behavioural Couples Therapy (IBCT)- Jacobson et al 2000

helps partners break down the negative patterns of behaviour that cause problems, and so help make one another happier.

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(A02) IBCT - Christensen et al 2004

treated over 60 couples using ICBT and found 2/3's reported significant improvements in their relationship quality.

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(A01) Equity Theory - Walster et al, (1978) - What's involved?

1) Inequity and distress 2) Ratio of input and outputs

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(A01) Equity Theory - Messick & Cook 1983

Assumption that people strive to achieve fairness in their relationship. ANY type of inequity creates distress.

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(A01) Too Much/ Too Little - Walster et al, (1978)

Those giving a great deal, but recieve little will percieve inequity and will be dissatisfied. Those who give little yet recieve much will also percieve inequity.

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(A01) Ratio - Walster et al, (1978)

It's possible for each partner to give/get different amount yet still be equitable. It's largely subjective upon opinion.

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(A01) "Complecated Mathematics" - Walster et al, (1978)

An equitable relationship should be one where the PARTNERS benefits - their costs = their partners benefits - their costs.

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(A01) Restoration - Walster et al, (1978)

If we percieve inequality, we are motivated to change it. This may be through,changing amount we put in, changing demands or changing perceptions.

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(A01) Stafford & Canary 2006

asked over 200 married couples to complete measures of eequity and relationship satisfaction. Equitable and over-benefited=satisfaction. under-benfited=inequitable.

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(A01) Stafford & Canary 2006

They also completed 5 maintenance strategies; positivity, openness, assurances, social networks and sharing tasks. Under benefited husbands showed lower levels of these than over-benefited or equitable husbands.

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(A02) Moghaddam 1998

suggests that such Economic theories only apply to Western Cultures, and even then, to those in short-term relaionships among individuals with high mobility. Those in more long-term relationships, particularly in non-traditional societies=security

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(A02) Clark & Mills 1979

disagrees wih relationship based on economics. Distinguished exchange (colleagues) and communal relationships (friends). Although still a concern with inequity in both, communal more need-related where exchange are more reward-tracking.

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(A02) DeMaris 2007 - Marriage ineuity/ marriage disruption

1500 couples, US National Survey of Families and Households. He found only subjective index of inequity associated with disruption is womens sense of under-benefit. Greated under-benefit showing risks of divorce

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(A02) Ragsdale & Brandau-Brown 2007

refect equity being a key determinant of relationship satisfaction. They argue that it is an incomplete rendering of the communicatino between married couples and their respect for each other.

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(A02) Gender Differences - Steil & Weltnab 1991

among married working couples, husband who earn more than their wives rate their career as more important, as do the wives. But if the wife earns more, they dont rate either career as more important.

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Maintenance of Romantic Relationships

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