Social exchange theory suggests that humans make social decisions based on perceived costs and benefits, valuing relationships to determine benefits. People evaluate social situations based on what they will have to give up and the benefits they can get in return. The theory emphasizes personal satisfaction within a relationship and the role of individual motivation.
Social exchange theory, also called “social exchange communication theory”, is a psychological concept that suggests that humans make social decisions based on their perceptions of the costs and benefits that could be gained from action or, conversely, from inaction. The underlying hypothesis holds that people value all social relationships to determine the benefits they will derive from them. It also suggests that someone will typically leave a relationship if he perceives the effort or cost outweighs any perceived benefit. The theory is usually presented in the kind of language most commonly seen in the fields of economics and finance. This may be jarring at first, but experts often argue that there are a number of important parallels between the way businesses and corporations make reasoned decisions and the way people do.
Basic premise
According to the theory, people will only be generous if they expect personal benefit because of it. Examples of personal gain from this type of self-sacrifice may include a show of gratitude from the recipient or approval from the giver’s peer group. This idea emphasizes the anticipated return for such good deeds, also called reciprocity, which is expressed very well in the common phrase I’ll scratch your back if you’ll scratch mine.
People who use social theory to describe social situations typically use economic terms such as “benefit,” “gain,” “cost,” and “payment.” These words are most commonly used when describing business or financial transactions, but according to many social psychologists, they also have relevance to personal interactions. In one sense, the theory’s treatment of people as economic vessels helps to conceptualize human interactions as calculated decisions that have a pattern to them, rather than subjective, impulsive emotional reactions.
The theory basically argues that people consciously and unconsciously evaluate every social situation in terms of what they will have to put in or give up, then relate that to the benefits they think they can get in return. The greater the potential benefit, the greater the personal investment an individual is likely to make in a relationship.
origins
The theory was first developed and gained its initial popularity in the late 1950s. American sociologist George Homans is widely credited with creating it, and scholars began discussing it seriously after Homans published a paper describing the theory, titled “Social Behavior as Exchange,” in the American Journal of Sociology in 1958. He expanded on the idea in a number of subsequent articles and books. Austrian-American sociologist Peter Blau adapted and applied many of Homans’ initial ideas for the 21st century and was the first to create a visual “map” of social spaces and interactions.
Importance of satisfaction
A major claim of the theory is that people make choices about social interactions based on their individual satisfaction within a given relationship. People generally have a high level of happiness if they perceive that they are getting more than they are giving. If, on the other hand, people feel they are giving more than they are getting, they may decide that the connection does not meet their needs. Theorists speculate that, whether they know it or not, nearly all people make these calculations when evaluating how much they want to be involved in certain interpersonal relationships, or even whether they want to be involved at all.
Whether a person ends a relationship they feel is not worth the social investment often depends on the options they feel are available. Individuals who think they might fare better in other relationships are more likely to walk away, while people who feel there are no better options than the expensive relationship may be more likely to stay. Exchange theory seeks to quantify these choices and make them easier to identify.
Role of the individual
Social exchange theory is considered by many psychologists to be highly individualistic, meaning that it assumes that the individual values all human social interactions based on his or her personal gain. This assumption denies the existence of true altruism and suggests that all decisions are made from a selfish motivation. Critics often point to this particular aspect of the theory when trying to identify flaws in the logic or structure of main arguments.
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