Equity theory

equity definition

fairness - both of the partners level of profit should be roughly the same

equity in relationships

• when there is a lack of equity, then one partner over benefits and the other under benefits from the relationship - this is a recipe for dissatisfaction

• if one partner puts a lot of effort into the relationship but at the same time gets a lot out of it, they are likely to feel satisfied

  • e.g. one partner works the night shift so the other partner puts the kid to bed

• under benefitted = anger, hostility, humiliation

• over benefitted guilt, discomfort, shame

• satisfying relationships are made by negotiations and involves making trade offs

consequences of inequity

• problems arise when one partner puts more into the relationship and gets little out of it

• changes in perceived equity

  • e.g. at the beginning of the relationship it may feel normal to put more into the relationship then you receive. But as the relationship develops and you are still putting more effort and don’t feel like you are getting much out of it, this will not feel satisfying as it did in the early days

• dealing with inequality

  • behavioural change - the under benefitted partner is motivated to make the relationship more equitable as they believe the relationship can be saved

  • cognitive change - the couple will go over the rewards and costs of each partner so that the relationship feels more equitable even if nothing actually changes - what was once seen as a cost is now seen as a norm

strength - research support

• Utne et al

• did a self-report survey measuring equity

• found that the couples who considered their relationship equitable were more satisfied than those who saw themselves as over benefitting or under benefitting

• therefore = this study confirms that equity is a major factor of romantic relationship

limitation - cultural limitations

• Katherine et al

• couples from an individualistic culture considered their relationship to be the most satisfying when it was equitable

• but partners in collectivist cultures (e.g. Jamaica) were most satisfied when they were over benefitting

• therefore = this suggests that the theory is limited as it only applies to some cultures and not others

limitations - individual differences

• not all partners are concerned about achieving equity

• Huseman et al - suggests some people are less concerned about equity

• created 2 categories:

• benevolent

  • prepared to contribute more to the relationship than they got out of it

• entitleds

  • believe they deserve to over benefit and accept it without feeling guilty

• in both cases, these individuals have less concerns about equity

• therefore = this shows that a desire for equity varies from one individual to another and is not a universal feature of romantic relationships