Social Exchange Theory
Social exchange theory is a theory that posits that relationships have costs and rewards. People prefer relationships with more rewards than costs (Adler et al., 2020). Further, costs constitute a relationship’s displeasing outcome, such as emotional distress, while rewards constitute a relationship’s desirable outcome, such as companionship (Adler et al., 2020). Accordingly, these outcomes, from rewards and costs, establish whether it is worth being in a relationship and can be illustrated as “Rewards – Costs = Outcome” (Adler et al., 2020). Subsequently, the social exchange theory might influence whether someone stays in a relationship.
Social exchange theory might influence whether someone decides to stay in a relationship for several reasons. First, if the costs outweigh the rewards in a relationship, the outcomes would be negative and unpleasant (Adler et al., 2020), causing a person to decide to leave a relationship. This decision would be based on the relationship being deemed unworthy. Second, if the rewards outweigh the costs in a relationship, the outcome would be positive and pleasant (Adler et al., 2020), causing a person to decide to stay in a relationship. This decision would be based on the relationship being deemed worthwhile.
Third, contrasting situations and their alternatives illustrate the social exchange theory. Comparison creates the comparison level (CL), determining the standard of what is acceptable or unacceptable from a relational partner (Adler et al., 2020). When contrasting what is acceptable and unacceptable, a person might decide to stay in or leave a relationship. Additionally, comparisons also present the comparison level of alternatives (CL alt) (Adler et al., 2020). This standard compares the rewards a person receives in their current relationship and those they would receive in a different relationship. If a person is to gain more rewards in a different relationship, they will leave their current relationship for the one that offers more rewards; however, if the person obtains more costs than rewards in a different relationship, they might decide to stay in their current relationship. These exchanges and comparisons illustrate how social exchange theory might influence whether someone stays in a relationship.
References
Adler, R. B., B Rosenfeld, L., & F. Proctor II, R. (2020). Interplay: The Process of Interpersonal Communication (15th ed.). Oxford University Press.
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Question 
Social Exchange Theory
Explain how social exchange theory might influence whether someone decides to stay in a relationship. This is in Chapter 10.
Please only use the concepts that are in Chapter 10, section 10.1 for this assignment. If you make up your own reasons, I will grade it as is and return it to you to do with the concepts in the book.
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