choose a current or past relationship that has been affected by your transition into college and use the social exchange theory to analyze your choice to enter, continue, or end that relationship. Discuss any rewards, costs, what you expect (CL), and any possible alternatives (CLalt). Include as much as you can from lecture and text (e.g. lack of effort, interdependency is a magnifying glass, ″outcome higher than CL″), and include terms. Explain well. Guidelines: – an introduction and conclusion – a thesis statement (as best you can do for now) – relevant topic sentences – body paragraphs focused on one main idea each – a logical progression of ideas – ideas developed and supported with specific details – a clear presentation of your ideas and terms from lecture/notes – sentences free or almost free from errors – 1 inch margins, 2-3 pages in length, times roman, double-spaced notes from class: Interdependency •Social Exchange Successful relationships entail the mutual exchange of desirable rewards with others. This process is called social exchange. Rewards and Costs •Rewards are results of an interaction that are gratifying, welcome, and fulfilling. •Costs are consequences that are frustrating, distressing, and undesirable. The outcome of an interaction is its net profit or loss. Adding up all the rewards and costs that result: Outcome ＝ Rewards – Costs Interdependence theory suggests that we evaluate the outcomes we receive with two criteria: •What we expect from our relationships, and •How well we think we can do with other partners. What Do We Expect from Our Relationships? Each of us has a personal comparison level (or CL) that describes what we expect and feel we deserve in our dealings with others. –When our outcomes exceed our comparison levels, we’re happy and content. –But when our outcomes fall below our comparison levels, we’re disgruntled and distressed. Your CL is thus the standard with which your satisfaction with a relationship is assessed. Outcomes – CL ＝ Satisfaction or Dissatisfaction So, even if a relationship is profitable and rewarding, you may not be satisfied if the profit isn’t big enough to meet your expectations. How Well Could We Do Elsewhere? Whether or not we’re happy, we also evaluate our partnerships with a comparison level for alternatives (or CLalt) that describes the outcomes we (think we) can get elsewhere. So, our CLalts are the lowest level of outcomes we will accept from our current partners. Why? If we think we can do better in another relationship, all things considered, we’re likely to leave our present partners and pursue those bigger payoffs—even when we’re currently happy with what we’ve got. On the other hand, even if we’re currently miserable, we won’t leave unless a better alternative presents itself. A CLalt is a complex, multifaceted judgment involving both the costs of leaving and the rewards offered by others. Our investments in a relationship —the things we would lose if it ends— make it harder to leave and reduce our Clalts. So, keeping in mind that Clalt includes both the costs and rewards of departing a relationship: Outcome – Clalt ＝ Dependence or Independence CL and CLalt as Time Goes By Our CLs are based on our past experiences, and they fluctuate along with the outcomes we receive. Excellent outcomes delight us at first… …but if we come to take them for granted, our CLs will rise, and those outcomes will gradually become less satisfying— not because the fine outcomes have changed, but because our expectations have gone up. Cultural changes have also increased our CLalts: •Women work •People are mobile •There are lots of new partners available online •Legal and social barriers to divorce have eroded The costs of departing a marriage have decreased, and people have more options and partners available to them. •The Economies of Relationships Counting up the rewards and costs of a relationship provides extraordinary information about its current state and likely future. Costs are particularly influential because bad is stronger than good. Negative events carry more psychological weight than desirable events do. Rewards need to outnumber costs by at least 5-to-1 if we’re to stay satisfied with a close relationship. Most of us encounter unanticipated costs, even in good relationships: •Lack of Effort People may stop working as hard as they once did to be consistently charming. •Interdependency Is a Magnifying Glass Conflict is more consequential, and annoyances more aggravating, because of the close and frequent contact that comes with intimacy. •Access to Weaponry Intimate partners know our foibles and our secrets, and that gives them the means to hurt us, even unintentionally, in ways others can’t. •Unwelcome Surprises Some surprises are inevitable. • Unrealistic Expectations