According to Social Exchange Theory, the equation Outcome = Rewards – Costs is a primary explanatory tool in determining whether people will stay in particular relationships.

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Social Exchange Theory does include the formula Outcome = Rewards − Costs, but that formula alone is not the primary or sole determinant of whether people will remain in a relationship — so the statement is false.

1) Relevant concepts
- Outcome = Rewards − Costs: a measure of what a person receives from a relationship.
- Comparison Level (CL): the standard used to judge satisfaction (what one expects or believes one deserves).
- Comparison Level for Alternatives (CLalt): the perceived quality of the best available alternative to the current relationship; this governs dependence and likelihood of leaving.
- Satisfaction vs. Dependence: satisfaction is driven by Outcome relative to CL; dependence (staying) is driven by Outcome relative to CLalt.

2) Step-by-step reasoning
- Compute Outcome from rewards and costs.
- Compare Outcome to CL to determine satisfaction.
- Compare Outcome to CLalt to determine whether the person is likely to stay (dependence).
- Therefore, Outcome is an input to decisions, but the decision to stay depends on its relation to CL and CLalt, not Outcome alone.

3) Example with intermediate steps
- Suppose rewards = 8, costs = 3. Outcome = 8 − 3 = 5.
- Let CL = 6 and CLalt = 4.
- Compare Outcome to CL: 5 < 6 → dissatisfied.
- Compare Outcome to CLalt: 5 > 4 → current relationship is better than alternatives → person likely to stay.
This shows Outcome value (5) does not by itself tell us whether someone will stay.

4) Why the correct answer is correct
- The original statement implies Outcome = Rewards − Costs by itself is the primary explanatory tool for staying. Social Exchange Theory explicitly uses CL and CLalt in conjunction with Outcome, so the statement is incomplete and therefore false.

5) Why the alternative ("True") is incorrect
- Claiming the equation alone determines staying ignores CL and CLalt, misrepresenting the theory. Staying depends on Outcome relative to alternatives and expectations, not Outcome in isolation.

6) Conclusion
- Because staying depends on Outcome compared to CL and CLalt, not solely on Outcome = Rewards − Costs, the correct response is False, which matches the provided answer.

According to Social Exchange Theory, the equation Outcome = Rewards – Costs is a primary explanatory tool in determining whether people will stay in particular relationships.单项选择题

类似问题

Which theory does the idea of bargaining resources in relationships such as marriage come to us from?

One frequent critique of social exchange theories is:

According to _____, helping occurs only when the benefits of helping outweigh the costs.

Name the Supreme Court decision that removed financial constraints on PACs.

Political scientists Joshua Kalla and David Broockman find that senior policy makers made themselves available to _____ between three and four times more often than they did to constituents.

Name the political scientist who argues that parties are designed to serve the needs of ambitious politicians (namely candidates and officeholders).

更多留学生实用工具

智能学习助手

风格化写作助手

论文查重助手

文献引用助手

课堂转译助手

课堂笔记助手

Quiz搜索助手

学校历年真题

智能刷题助手

智能匹配练习

希望你的学习变得更简单