PS373; Commitment and Interdependence

Social Exchange Theory

• Economic model of human behaviour

  • People are sensitive to rewards and costs

  • Outcome = Rewards - Costs

  • We want best profit possible

Social Exchange Expectations and Comparison Levels

• Satisfaction is determined by discrepancies

• What do I have, compared to what I can get

Major Propositions of SET

• Partners keep track of costs and rewards, immediate and over time

  • May not be conscious

• Attracted to partners who provide most rewards

• Norm of reciprocity = to receive we must also give

Types of Rewards amd Costs

• Instrumental -- tangible or task-oriented

  • picking up from airport, financial assistance

• Emotional

  • Feeling loves, knowing someone is there for you, hurt feelings, uncertainty

How Do People Evaluate Outcomes -- Accounting

• Keep track of rewards vs. costs

  • Seldom done explicitly or systematically

  • Value is in the ‘eye of the beholder’

  • Bad is stronger than good

How Do People Evaluate Outcomes -- Interdependence Theory

• Determine profit

• Not just about total profit -- how does it compare to two criteria

  • Comparison level

  • Comparison level for alternatives

Comparison Level (CL)

• What we expect and feel we deserve from our relationships

• Each person has their own CL

  • Based on prior experience, learning, personality

• High CL

  • Expect relationships to be rewarding

  • Low rewards unacceptable, disappointing

• Low CL

  • Expect relationships to be troublesome

  • Low rewards are acceptable, tolerable

• Satisfaction = Outcome - CL

Comparison Level for Alternatives (CL_ALT)

• What we realistically expect we could get in another relationship or situation

• Includes other partners or being single

• Standard against which we decide to stay or leave\

• Dependence = Outcome - CL_ALT

• Dependence -- Determines whether we are motivated to stay or leave

  • Low CL_ALT = more committed to current partner

  • High CL_ALT = less committed to current partner

• What determines CL_ALT?

  • Self views

    • Low self-esteem: doubt that others will find them desirable, lower CL_ALT

    • High self-esteem: more confident that others’ views of them, higher CL_ALT

  • Information about alternative

Major Social Exchange Theory Equations

• Outcomes = Rewards - Cost

• Satisfaction = Outcomes - CL

• Dependence = Outcomes - CL_ALT

CL As Time Goes By

• Within a relationship:

  • CL and habituation (expectations based on experience)

  • CL gets higher than outcomes over time

CL_ALT as Time Goes By

• In our culture:

  • women increased financial dependence

  • Mobility

  • Eroding barriers against divorce

• CL and CL_ALT become the same, higher than outcomes

Commitment

• An internal pledge

• Tendency to maintain a relationship and feel psychologically attached to it

Investment Model Of Commitment

• The decision to stay/leave a relationship is determined by commitment

• Commitment is a function of three things:

  • Satisfaction: Rewards, Costs, CL’s

  • Alternatives: CL_ALT’s

  • Investments: What would you lose if the relationships were to end

    • Could be financial, social, or material

Staying Committed

• Commitment is related to:

  • Derogation of alternatives

  • Willingness to sacrifice

  • Accommodative behaviour

  • Cognitive interdependence

  • Positive illusions about the partner

  • Fidelity

Derogation Alternatives -- Study

• Students in relationships rated their satisfaction and commitment to their partner

  • Presented with an “early applicant” of opposite sex

• Highly committed people tend to derogate alternatives 

• Why?

  • Very high comparison levels

  • Social Norms

  • Dissonance

• Grass is always greener but happy, committed gardeners may not even notice

Commitment and Fidelity

Study 1:

• 2 months after completing measures of commitment they completed infidelity quiz

  • 72% of people reported emotional infidelity

  • 48% of people reported physical infidelity

Study 2 (Spring Break):

• 2 days before spring break completed measures, and again after 9 days of spring break

  • 70% reported emotional infidelity

  • 41% reported physical infidelity

Conclusions

• Satisfaction and commitment are complicated constructs

  • Lot of mental calculation that goes on

  • Has a reciprocal influence on many pro-relationship behaviours