Question

Which relationship does NOT demonstrate the Social Exchange Theory?

1) Pam and James have been married for four years. They give each other emotional support, keep arguments to a minimum, feel financially secure, and are satisfied with their relationship.
2) Stan and Teri provide emotional support to each other and have sex regularly. However, Teri can't help but be interested in other partners, and she decides to begin an affair.
3) Since Andrew lost his job one year ago, he and his wife Erin have been beset by financial troubles. Both believe that the quality of their relationship has declined as a result.
4) Mike and Jan have been together for one year. They satisfy each other sexually but have realized lately that barely a day can go by before they get into an argument. They decide to split up.

Answer 1

Option 4, the relationship between Mike and Jan, does not demonstrate the Social Exchange Theory because their decision to split up seems to be driven by incompatibility and frequent arguments rather than a cost-benefit analysis.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine which relationship does NOT demonstrate the Social Exchange Theory, we must look for a scenario where the balance of costs and benefits in the relationship is not the primary concern. The Social Exchange Theory posits that people seek to maximize benefits and minimize costs in their relationships. When examining the provided options, the relationship between Pam and James (option 1) adheres to the Social Exchange Theory because they seem to have a balance of emotional support, minimized conflicts, and feel financially secure, all of which lead to their satisfaction with the relationship.

Stan and Teri's relationship (option 2) also demonstrates the theory as Teri begins an affair, likely because she perceives the benefits of being with other partners as outweighing the costs associated with their current relationship. Andrew and Erin (option 3) have seen a decline in the quality of their relationship due to financial troubles, which can be seen as the costs outweighing the benefits, again aligning with the theory.

However, Mike and Jan's relationship (option 4) appears to break from the Social Exchange Theory. They have decided to split up not because of a calculated cost-benefit analysis but due to frequent arguments and a lack of harmony, which indicates a deeper incompatibility rather than a simple imbalance of exchange. Therefore, option 4 does NOT demonstrate the Social Exchange Theory as the decision to split seems to be driven more by the subjective experience of conflict than by an evaluation of exchanges within the relationship.