Exchange TheoryExchange Theory

Key ConceptsKey Concepts• Exchange relationships develop within structures of Exchange relationships develop within structures of

interdependenceinterdependence between actors. between actors.• Positions (horizontal, vertical, central) affect exchange opportunitiesPositions (horizontal, vertical, central) affect exchange opportunities• Positions affect value of resourcesPositions affect value of resources• Generalized and restricted exchangesGeneralized and restricted exchanges

• Actors make Actors make rationalrational decisions. decisions.

• Actors behave in ways that increase outcomes they Actors behave in ways that increase outcomes they positively value (positively value (rewardsrewards) and decrease outcomes ) and decrease outcomes they negatively value (they negatively value (costscosts).).

• Principle of Least CostsPrinciple of Least Costs• Comparison LevelsComparison Levels

HorizontalHorizontal

VerticalVertical

CentralCentral

Key ConceptsKey Concepts• Exchange relationships develop within structures of Exchange relationships develop within structures of

interdependenceinterdependence between actors. between actors.• Positions (horizontal, vertical, central) affect exchange opportunitiesPositions (horizontal, vertical, central) affect exchange opportunities• Positions affect value of resourcesPositions affect value of resources• Generalized and restricted exchangesGeneralized and restricted exchanges

• Actors make Actors make rationalrational decisions. decisions.

• Actors behave in ways that increase outcomes they Actors behave in ways that increase outcomes they positively value (positively value (rewardsrewards) and decrease outcomes ) and decrease outcomes they negatively value (they negatively value (costscosts).).

• Principle of Least CostsPrinciple of Least Costs• Comparison LevelsComparison Levels

A “Rational” Decision?A “Rational” Decision?

Husband Is Breadwinner

Wife Is Breadwinner

This line This line shows how shows how

much much housework housework

the the HUSBAND HUSBAND

doesdoes

NoneNoneNoneNone

About About EqualEqual

About About EqualEqual

NoneNoneNoneNone

Why?Why?

Key ConceptsKey Concepts

• Exchange relationships develop within structures of Exchange relationships develop within structures of interdependenceinterdependence between actors. between actors.

• Positions (horizontal, vertical, central) affect exchange opportunitiesPositions (horizontal, vertical, central) affect exchange opportunities• Positions affect value of resourcesPositions affect value of resources• Generalized and restricted exchangesGeneralized and restricted exchanges

• Actors make Actors make rationalrational decisions. decisions.

• Actors behave in ways that increase outcomes they Actors behave in ways that increase outcomes they positively value (positively value (rewardsrewards) and decrease outcomes ) and decrease outcomes they negatively value (they negatively value (costscosts).).

• Principle of Least CostsPrinciple of Least Costs• Comparison LevelsComparison Levels

Exchange Resources (Rewards)• Blau: Personal attraction, social acceptance, social

approval, instrumental services, respect/prestige, and compliance/power.

• Foa & Foa: Love, status, services, goods, information, and money.

• Merton and Davis: Race and caste• Gonzales & Meyers: Attractiveness, financial security,

expressiveness, instrumentality, sincerity, and sex.

“Humans seek rewards and avoid costs”

“Humans seek rewards and avoid costs”

Actors behave in ways that increase outcomes they positively value and decrease outcomes they negatively Actors behave in ways that increase outcomes they positively value and decrease outcomes they negatively value.value.

Exchange Resources At Risk In Homosexual and Interracial Relationships

Social AcceptanceSocial Approval

Respect and PrestigeStatus

Security

“Humans seek rewards and avoid costs”

“Humans seek rewards and avoid costs”

Actors behave in ways that increase outcomes they positively value and decrease outcomes they negatively Actors behave in ways that increase outcomes they positively value and decrease outcomes they negatively value.value.

Methodology

San Francisco, CAPhoenix, AZDenver, CODallas, TXHouston, TXKansas City, KSSt. Louis, MOMiami, FLBaltimore, MD

Collection of nearly 7000 personal advertisements from the personal ads sections of ten cities’ free newsweeklies (i.e., City Papers):

Chosen for their regional diversity and ethnic

makeup.

New York City, NY

• Newspaper• Gender• Sexual Orientation• Race• Age• Race Desired• Age Desired• Type of Relationship

Desired• Gender Role For Self• Gender Role For Other• Mentions of HIV, Drugs,

Children, and Religion• Resources Offered/Sought

– Physical Attractiveness– Financial Security– Expressive Traits– Instrumental Traits– Sincerity– Interest in Public and/or

Private Relationship

Trained coders recorded both objective information (e.g., race, age) and specific

content categories (dichotomous, frequency,

specific words) to be included in the analysis.

Methodologycont’d

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Physical Attractiveness Success Sincerity

Hetero Male Homo Male Hetero Female Homo Female

Desired Personal Characteristics

Desired Personal Characteristics

This is the usual trend discussed in the This is the usual trend discussed in the literatureliterature

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Physical Attractiveness Success Sincerity

Hetero Male Homo Male Hetero Female Homo Female

Desired Personal Characteristics

Desired Personal Characteristics

Homosexual menHomosexual men are slightly less likely than are slightly less likely than heterosexual heterosexual menmen to demand attractiveness. There’s no difference in to demand attractiveness. There’s no difference in success demands.success demands.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Physical Attractiveness Success Sincerity

Hetero Male Homo Male Hetero Female Homo Female

Offered Personal Characteristics

Offered Personal Characteristics

This is the usual trend discussed in the This is the usual trend discussed in the literatureliterature

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Physical Attractiveness Success Sincerity

Hetero Male Homo Male Hetero Female Homo Female

Offered Personal Characteristics

Offered Personal Characteristics

There are larger differences in offered characteristics.There are larger differences in offered characteristics. Homosexual menHomosexual men are much more likely than are much more likely than heterosexual menheterosexual men to offer attractiveness and much to offer attractiveness and much less likely to offer success.less likely to offer success.

Type Of Relationship SoughtType Of Relationship Sought

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Physical Attractiveness

Success Physical Attractiveness

Success Desire LTR Desire Privacy

Hetero Male Homo Male

CharacteristicsOffered

CharacteristicsSought

Gay men more likely Gay men more likely to seek to seek longtermlongterm

and and privateprivate relationshipsrelationships

White Heterosexual MenWhite Heterosexual Men

Note the higher Note the higher requirements for requirements for Black womenBlack women