ABSTRACT
One of the problems with social exchange theory is that it focuses heavily on an individual maximising their rewards, largely at the expense of the other partner. In reality, what most romantic partners are looking for is some form of reciprocation and fairness. Equity theory argues that as long as there is a degree of fairness in relation to what each partner is giving to the relationship then it’s fine, so it could be argued that social exchange theory has failed to take account of this important distinction. A further problem for the economic basis of social exchange theory comes from the difficulty of assigning values to human behaviour. Earlier, Dainton identified maintenance behaviour as the sort of thing that couples do for one another in a romantic relationship, such as positivity, which she went on to identify as behaving in a cheerful and optimistic manner – something that is clearly difficult to put a value on.
