ABSTRACT
This chapter considers a somewhat radical approach that emphasizes the differences in the norms guiding relationships with close others and strangers. The differences in the norms guiding the giving and receiving of benefits in exchange relationships, as opposed to communal relationships, should be reflected in terms of how much people like someone who either follows or violates the respective rules. In communal relationships, giving and receiving benefits are guided by different norms and principles, which render them qualitatively different from exchange relationships. In exchange relationships, benefits are given either in exchange for past benefits or with the expectation of receiving benefits in the future. Instead, the giving of benefits in communal relationships should be exclusively guided by an orientation toward the other's needs. Despite the impressive amount of research in its favor, the distinction between exchange and communal relationships is not without its critics.
