Social Exchange in Developing Relationships

Social Exchange in Developing Relationships is a collection of papers that deals with the systematic study of the development of relationships. The papers discuss several theoretical perspectives, such as evolutionary theory, personality theory, cognitive developmental theory, equity theory, role theory, and attribution theory. One paper discusses romantic relationships-the evolution of first acquaintance to close or intimate commitment. Another paper presents the hypothesis that the factors causing a relationship to begin will also probably steer intermediate cognitive processes, eventually influencing the nature of the relationship. Commitment requires specific concepts such as input levels contributed to the relationship, duration of these inputs, and their consistency of occurrence. The equity theory suggests that equity principles determine the selection of one's mate and how they (the partners) will get along in the future. One paper analyzes the dynamic theories of social relationships and the resulting research strategies: that the conceptualization of a parameter of a social relationship can affect the choice of data collection techniques and other matters. Sociologists, psychologists, historians, students, and academicians doing sociological research, can benefit greatly from this collection.

Contenu

List of Contributors
Foreword
Preface
Part I Introduction
1 Social Exchange in Developing Relationships: An Overview
I. Introduction
II. The Nature of Close Relationships
III. The Development of Closeness in Relationships
IV. Social Exchange in Developing Relationships
V. The Social Context of Relationships
VI. Conclusion
References
Part II The Development Course of Close Relationships
2 The Initiation of Social Relationships and Interpersonal Attraction
I. The Importance of Understanding the Antecedents of the Initiation of Social Relationships
II. A Perceptual Approach to the Problem of Relationship Initiation
III. Outcome Dependency: A Framework for Viewing Relationship Initiation
IV. Identification of the Social Environment
V. Some Comments on the Relationship between Attention and Attraction
VI. Conclusions
References
3 Social Exchange and Behavioral Interdependence
I. Introduction
II. Stage I: Exploration
III. Stage II: Expansion of Interlocking Interest-Spheres
IV. Stage III: Commitment
V. Summary
References
4 Equity Theory and Intimate Relationships
I. Introduction
II. The Equity Formulation
III. The Theorists' Debate: Is Equity Theory Applicable to Intimate Relationships?
IV. The Accumulating Evidence
V. Summary
References
5 Conflict in the Development of Close Relationships
I. The Structure of Close Relationships
II. The Development of Close Relationships
III. The Role of Conflict in the Development of Close Relationships
References
6 A Social Exchange View on the Dissolution of Pair Relationships
I. Introduction
II. An Exchange Perspective on Relationships
III. Determinants of Pair Dissolution
IV. Conclusion
References
Part III Beyond the Dyad: Approaches to Explaining Exchange in Developing Relationships
7 Natural Selection and Social Exchange
I. Introduction
II. The Sexual Organism as Nepotist
III. Historical Relationships between Nepotism and Reciprocity
IV. Analyses of Human Nepotism and Reciprocity
V. The Evolution of Nepotism and Recipocity in Humans
VI. Ontogeny and Social Exchange
VII. Conclusions
References
8 Social Network Influence on the Dyadic Relationship
I. Introduction
II. Social Networks
III. Interactional Criteria
IV. Structural Criteria
V. Network Influences
VI. Social Exchange within Dyads
VII. Social-Exchange Theory Assumptions
VIII. Types of Dyadic Exchange Patterns
IX. Sequencing of Exchange Patterns within Dyadic Relationships
X. Social Network Influence on Dyadic Relationships
XI. Summary and Conclusions
References
9 Personality and Exchange in Developing Relationships
I. Introduction
II. The Nature of Personality
III. Personality and Commodities of Exchange
IV. Complementary Needs and Resource Exchange
V. Reciprocal Patterns of Activity
VI. Foresight of Future Satisfaction, or Rebuff
VII. Construal Style Revisited
VIII. Conclusion
References
10 A Dynamic Interactional Concept of Individual and Social Relationship Development
I. Introduction
II. Mechanistic and Organismic Models of Human Development
III. Components of Development
IV. Relationship Development
V. Implications for Social Exchange
VI. The Nature of Reward in Social Exchanges
VII. Conclusions
References
11 Sexual involvement and Relationship Development: A Cognitive Developmental Approach
I. Introduction
II. Person Variables Influencing Sexual Involvement
III. Relationship Variables: Sex and Social Exchange
IV. Sexual Decision Making and Moral Reasoning
V. Relationship Reasoning
VI. A Model for Sexual Involvement in Relationships
VII. Summary
References
12 Relationship Initiation and Development: A Life-Span Developmental Approach
I. Introduction
II. Critique and Recasting of Social Exchange Theory
III. Social Interactions and the Personality System
IV. Symbolic-Interactionist Approach to Social Relationships
V. Developmental Themes and Relationships
VI. Social Factors and Relationships
VII. Research Possibilities in Life-Span Social Interaction
References
Part IV Epilogue
13 Dynamic Theories of Social Relationships and Resulting Research Strategies
I. A Theoretical Introduction
II. A Methodological Introduction
III. Concept Validity
IV. Propositional (Internal) Validity
V. Generalization (External) Validity
VI. A Final Note
References
Author Index
Subject Index