Equity Theory

• Developed in response to a significant criticism of social exchange theory (SET) because it ignores the central role of equity
• Equity theory - an economic theory of how relationships develop. It acknowledges the impact of rewards and costs on relationship satisfaction
• Equity means fairness and is different to equality
• Both partners level of profit is roughly the same
• When there is a lack of equity then one partner over benefits and the other under benefits which is a recipe for dissatisfaction and unhappiness
• Underbenefitted partner may feel - anger, resentment and humiliation

  Over Benefited partner may feel - guilt, discomfort and shame
• Is not about the the size or amount of rewards and costs its about the ratio of the two to each other

  • so if one partner puts a lot in to the relationship but gets a lot out then they are likely to feel satisfied
• The greater the perceived inequity, the greater the dissatisfaction
• Consequences of inequity:

  • changes in perceived equity
  • dealing with inequity
• Dealing with inequity:

  • the underbenefitted partner is usually motivated to make the relationship more equitable as long as they believe its possible to do so
  • a partner revises their perceptions of rewards and costs so that the relationship feels more equitable to them - something that was once seen as a cost is now accepted as a norm
• PEEL 1:

  Strength - research support - Utne et al (1984) - carried out a survey of 118 recently-married couples - found that couples who considered their relationship equitable were more satisfied
• PEEL 2:

  Limitation - Cultural differences - individualist cultures consider a relationship more satisfying when it was equitable - collectivist cultures were more satisfied when they were overbenifitting
• PEEL 3:

  Limitation - individual differences - not all partners in romantic relationships are concerned about achieving equity
• PEEL 4:

  Strength - much of the research uses real life couples so provides external validity to studies