Social Exchange Theory and It Is Key Concepts.

Introduction

Comprehending human interactions and connections has always been an intriguing endeavor in the field of psychological studies (Wang ,et al,2023). Social exchange theory is where people tend to get into a relationship due to either self-benefit or the cost they can incur or receive from them (Clark, 2023). Since no one, according to the theory, will need to go more loss as compared to benefits, they will try to maximize rewards and minimize spending at all cost

Key concepts involved in this theory include Rewards, cost, comparison level, comparison level for alternatives, and equity. This essay will highlight the theory’s importance in modern social psychology by illustrating its applicability in various situations. When you talk of rewards as a concept in social exchange theory, it refers to the positive outcomes an individual would receive while in a relationship. Cost refers to the sacrifices one has to incur in a relationship, such as time(Yonga, 2023). Comparison level is the evaluation of reward and costs in a relationship where the cost exceeds rewards and the relationship is unsatisfying (Pan et al.,2023). The comparison level for the alternative concept is a situation where one evaluates a different relationship where one’s benefits exceed the other’s, and he or she would prefer to stay on the one with more benefits. The equity notion states that when benefits and costs in a relationship balance, it may cause discontent (Atalay & Dağıstan, 2023).

Question 2

I have been in a relationship with my girlfriend for the last three years even though, due to the distance between us, I feel neglected in our relationship, and my girlfriend is not willing to spend time with me; due to these, I have decided to apply social exchange theory concepts to help me evaluate myself.

Concepts applied include:

1. Cost and reward:

• Cost: I recognize the expenses in the connection, the time and effort I invested in preserving it, and the mental cost of feeling abandoned by my girlfriend.
• Reward: I begin to list down the benefits of our friendship, which include our shared experiences, emotional support, and companionship. However, recently, these benefits have decreased.

2. Comparison level:

I decided to design our relationship based on the benefits and the drawbacks with my idea of what makes a perfect relationship, which results from historical expectations and social standards.

3. Comparison level for alternative:

I decided to weigh on other chances, like being single or getting into a relationship with another person, by comparing our relationship to others based on the benefits and drawbacks we are experiencing right now.

4. Equity

I decide to weigh the benefits and costs I incur in our relationship only to realize that both are balancing and making me feel dissatisfied with our relationship.

Limitations

The theory may only partially capture the complexity of human relationships as far as it gives me valuable insights. For example:

• The theory may only highly overlook emotional factors affecting our relationships, such as commitment, love, and attachment.
• It is taken for granted that people logically weigh benefits and costs, ignoring the influence of instincts, feelings, and social conventions.
• It does not also focus on an individual’s personal development and growth in a relationship. It only focuses on costs and rewards.

My girlfriend and I are connected beyond money. While Social Exchange Theory may analyze concrete components, it cannot account for emotional subtleties and personal growth in our relationship. My girlfriend and I have a relationship, depth, and capacity for development, which are important beyond the theory. My perspective helps me make choices that meet my emotional needs and goals. I may better manage my profession and relationship by taking a wider view and prioritizing my emotional well-being and personal satisfaction. Ultimately, I must consider both my circumstances’ practical and intangible sides to be happy and fulfilled. The holistic strategy allows me to balance my career goals and emotional satisfaction in my relationship with my girlfriend.

Conclusion

The social ethics theory is based on two major perspectives, as we have realized it is based on both costs and benefits. Apart from that, it as got four key concepts which include reward, cost, comparison level, and comparison level for alternatives; these theories based on real-life situations it as got three major weaknesses which include majoring on high emotional factors, ignoring the influence of feelings and instincts and it does not also focus on personal development.

References

Atalay, M., & Dağıstan, U. (2023). Quiet quitting: a new wine in an old bottle

Clark, A. N. (2023). Using social exchange theory to examine relationship processes in asexual‐allosexual couples. Journal of Family Theory & Review, 15(2), 352-372.

Pan, W., Lu, J., Wu, L., Kou, J., & Lei, Y. (2023). Expending effort may share neural responses with reward and evokes high subjective satisfaction. Biological Psychology, 177, 108480.

Wang, J. Z., Zhao, S., Wu, C., Adams, R. B., Newman, M. G., Shafir, T., & Tsachor, R. (2023). Unlocking the Emotional World of Visual Media: An Overview of the Science, Research, and Impact of Understanding Emotion Drawing Insights From Psychology, Engineering, and the Arts, This Article Provides a Comprehensive Overview of the Field of Emotion Analysis in Visual Media and Discusses the Latest Research, Systems, Challenges, Ethical Implications, and Potential Impact of Artificial Emotional Intelligence on Society. Proceedings of the IEEE.

Yonga, J. (2023). Love and Sacrifice: Understanding the True Cost of Relationships. Dr. Jerry Yonga.