ABSTRACT
Equity theory is much like expectancy theory in that it draws heavily on conscious processes in both its theoretical formulations and its research designs. There are some deficiencies regarding validity, largely because Adams (1965), the originator of the theory, was unable to solve all its intricacies, but nevertheless it receives a four-star rating (Miner 2005, Chapter 9; 2007, Chapter 9). The theory’s importance rating at the hands of organizational behavior peers is 5.93, and it is among the few that have been labeled as institutionalized (Miner 2006b). Meta-analytic results, in line with the theory’s validity rating, are uniformly positive, as are meta-analytic findings for various types of justice, including the distributive type. Further to the treatment of equity theory as predominantly rational, the following letter to the editor provides an example of what is involved.
