Equity theory

Equity theory

- Developed in response to significant criticism of SET. Maximising rewards and minimising costs are important, but SET fails to take into account the need most people have for balance rather than profit in a relationship

The role of equity

- According to Walster et al (1978), what matters most with this is that both partners' level of profit is roughly the same. This is not the same as equality where costs and rewards have to be the same for each partner. When there is a lack of this, then one partner over benefits and the other under benefits from the relationship, which results in unhappiness. Both overbenefit and underbenefit are examples of inequity, where the underbenefitted partner will likely feel anger, hostility, and resentment, and the overbenefitted partner will likely feel guilt, discomfort, and shame. Satisfaction= perceived fairness

Equity and equality

- It's not the size or amount of the rewards and costs that matters, it's the ratio of the two to each other. So if one partner puts a lot into the relationship but at the same time gets a lot out of it, then they are likely to feel satisfied. Satisfying relationships are marked by negotiations to ensure equity, that rewards are distributed fairly (not necessarily equally) between the partners. This inevitably involves making trade-offs

Consequences of inequity

- Problems arise when one partner puts a great deal into the relationship but gets little out of it. A partner who perceives this will become distressed and dissatisfied with the relationship if this state of affairs continues for long enough. The greater this is perceived, the greater the dissatisfaction - equity theory predicts a strong correlation between the two. This applies to both the overbenefitted and underbenefitted partner

Consequences of inequity- Changes in perceived equity

- This is what makes us most dissatisfied as time goes on. E.g. at the start of the relationship it may feel perfectly natural to contribute more than you receive. But if the relationship in such a way that you continue to put more into the relationship and get less out of it, this will not feel as satisfying as it used to

Consequences of inequity- Dealing with inequity

- The underbenefitted partner is usually motivated to make the relationship more equitable as long as they believe it is possible to do so and that the relationship is salvageable. The more unfair the relationship feels, the harder they will work to restore equity. On the other hand, they may also revise their perceptions of rewards and costs so that the relationship feels more equitable to them, even if nothing changes. What was once seen as a cost is now accepted as the norm

Evaluation: Strengths

- There is evidence from studies of real-world relationships that conform equity theory as a more valid explanation than SET. Utne et al (1984) carried out a survey of 118 recently-married couples, measuring equity with two self-report scales. Participants were aged between 16 and 45 years and had been together for more than two years before marrying. They found that couples who considered their relationship equitable were more satisfied than those who saw themselves as overbenefitting or underbenefitting

- This confirms that equity is a major concern of romantic couples and is linked with satisfaction, a prediction of equity theory

Other research found that couples that broke up or continued did not differ much in terms of equity, instead there were more important factors such as self disclosure.

Evaluation: Weaknesses

- Equity theory may not apply to all cultures. Aumer-Ryan et al (2007) found that there are cultural differences in the link between equity and satisfaction. Couples from an individualist culture (US) considered their relationships to be most satisfying when the relationship was equitable, whereas partners in a collectivist culture (Jamaica) were most satisfied when they were overbenefitting. This was true of both men and women, ruling out gender differences

- This suggests that the theory is limited because it only applies to some cultures

Gender differences - women more likely to feel under-benefitted. A women’s greater relationship focus may make them more sensitive to injustices and more likely to react negatively to being exploited. Shows possible inequity - hard to define.

Evaluation: Weaknesses

- Not all partners in romantic relationships are concerned about achieving equity. (Individual differences). Huseman et al (1987) suggest that some people are less concerned about equity than the 'norm'. They describe some partners as benevolents, who are prepared to contribute more to the relationship than they get out of it (underbenefit). Others are entitleds who believe they deserve to overbenefit and accept it without feeling distressed or guilty

- This shows that a desire for equity varies from one individual to another and is not a universal feature of romantic relationships