Exchange Theory

1
Exchange Theory

• A Theory Used to Help Understand Marital Relations

2
Major Assumption

• Human beings are pleasure-seeking, punishment
  avoiding organisms

3
Major Concepts

• Rewardsany and all pleasures, satisfactions, and
  gratifications the individual enjoys. Rewards
  motivate behavior toward something.
• Costsrewards forgone or anything that is
  intrinsically punishing. Costs motivate behavior
  away from something.
• Profits (Outcomes)the extent to which rewards
  outweigh costs. Stated differently
  Profits Rewards - Costs
  

4
Major Concepts (continued)

• Investmentsthe contributions an individual makes
  to a group or relationship. There are two types
  of investments earned and unearned.
• Earned investments are direct contributions an
  individual makes to a group or relationship
  (e.g., time, effort, skill).
• Unearned investments are traits the individual
  possesses that are valued by the group or partner
  in a relationship. These traits will vary from
  group to group and may include such things as
  gender, age, and physical attractiveness.

5
Major Concepts (continued)

• Distributive JusticePeople think their profits
  in a relationship should be proportional to their
  investments. The more they invest, the more
  profits they think they should receive.
• Comparison Level (CL)The standard by which a
  person evaluates the satisfactoryness of
  profits. Profits above the CL are felt to be
  pleasant profits at or below the CL are felt to
  be unpleasant.

6
Major Concepts (continued)

• Comparison Level for Alternatives (CLA)The
  lowest level of profits an individual will accept
  given his or her available alternatives.
• When the level of profits one receives in an
  existing relationship falls below the level of
  profits one feels one could get from some
  alternative relationship, one has fallen below
  his or her CLA.
• If one falls below ones CLA, one will leave the
  relationship