Family Social Exchange theory is the idea that social change and stability represent a process of cost and benefit between the two parties or individuals: how much effort is put into the relationship versus how much effort our companion is contributing. This theory proposes that in order to understand one another and the choices made by them, we must understand what that individuals finds to be motivating or rewarding.
Main Assumptions As there are many assumptions on social exchange, one of the assumptions to know is that people are motivated by self-interest. Meaning that we seek things or relationships that are beneficial to ourselves. Like weighing the cost and rewards of a relationship or product that is bought for a purpose. Thus, we, as human being finds more pleasurable to engage in a relationship or interactions that will be more beneficial and rewarding, while avoiding the least cost or punishment. When people choose to help others, they do so because of personal gain they expect to obtain from doing so. An example could be that someone might feel that their job takes advantage of them and therefore, that person decides to quit the job and look for another job if they think that they could get a better job for the same about of effort. An example of this explanations is that my co-worker, who worked with me at Taco Bell decides to quit her job at Taco Bell because she felt that there was just too much work and the customers are mean. Instead she found another job
The family systems theory originated in the 1950’s by a man named Murray Bowen. He was a believer that within a family there is an emotional component that exists which influences the degree of separateness (differentiation of self) and togetherness (fusion) (Nugent, p. 179). According to Bowen, the differentiation of self is crucial for the entire family. A family that is dysfunctional becomes emotionally dependent on each other, in essence fusing together, and allowing them opportunities to lose their individual identities. He believes that this chokes their growth, maturity, and feelings for each other. Though, a family that is emotionally mature creates an effective balance of differentiation which allows togetherness to be maintained (Nugent, p. 179). When this happens, individual family members can show their individuality without becoming fused and still maintain consideration for others. Bowen further states how fusion can lead to the development something he calls triangles. Triangles are when two members of a family align, while a third becomes an outsider and a scapegoat (Nugent, p. 179). It is explained as two fused family members arguing with each other with one or the other bringing in a third family member to settle a locked conflict. The third member ends up taking sides with one of the arguing members and ends up becoming the scapegoat. Once the conflict becomes unbearable, a fourth person maybe drawn in to it forcing a realignment of the triangle. Bowen
People don’t help others people unless it benefits them. An example of this is in the article “The Dying Girl That No One Helped”, when 38 or more people saw the girl dying but not a single person stopped and went outside to help. No one even picked up a phone and called the police until she was already dead. Lieutenant Jacobs said that most people “just don’t want to get involved”(Wainwright). An example that most people can relate to in their life is when something happens, such as a fight, or any other type of argument between people. Most of the time no one will help to break up the fight, they would rather stand by and watch. These examples show that people don’t want to get involved in something that doesn’t benefit them to help. People will only help when it benefits them to help, or hurts them to not help.
Another theory that explains how to family relates to each other is through the balance of social/behavioral exchange as explained in cognitive behavioral theory. The theory of social exchange is when “people strive to maximize rewards and minimize costs” and the behavior exchange theory is when “there is a high ratio of benefits to costs” (CITATION, pg. 168). Basically, the balance of social/behavioral exchange is about balanced relations; there is a balance in giving a
Reconstruction and change are essential for the family system to facilitate the homeostatic process, as explained by the fourth principle of the theory (Minuchin, 1985). It includes family questioning current methods, evaluating and developing potential arrangements. While earlier principles analyse the wholeness of the family system, the fifth principle explains that families can be examined in various segments such as the parent-children subsystem, sibling subsystem and spousal subsystem (Minuchin, 1985). Within the family, relationships between members are formed, and the interactions between each subsystem are regulated by unspoken rules and arrangements, and this is the final principle of family systems theory (Minuchin, 1985). Each subsystem operates independently, and it may encounter changes in the relationship due to various determinants.
Most people want things to be better for themselves, not as much as others. For instance, a person in my AP Chemistry class asked for answers to the test. Instead of helping them out, i told them that i didn't know the answers because i didn't want them doing better than me. I was so close to being in the Top 10% of my class! I couldn't ruin that for me. I didn't feel morally obligated to give them the answers, and I think a lot of people do little things like that to help themselves out in the long run. To be honest, It's every man for
to stress and therefore more susceptible to having problems with anxiety, trauma, depression, and many other issues. Attachment theory suggests that the quality of the parents' attachment system that was first established in infancy will affect their ability to form healthy attachments to their own children and with other adults (Lander, L., Howsare, J., & Byrne, M, 2013). Family systems theory produced out of the biologically based general systems theory. General systems theory focuses on how the portions of a system relate with one another. In family systems theory the family is essentially its own system (Lander, L., Howsare, J., & Byrne, M, 2013). When one person in a family begins to transform his or her behavior, the change will affect
Social Exchange Theory – Social behavior exchange theory is an exchange between parties as a representative of consent and status (Homans, 1958, p.
The social exchange theory believes that as rational beings, humans make rational choices. In accordance to gender and sex, the social exchange theory would state that the structure of the family has been formed in regards to the best decision
The Social Exchange theory proposes that we make decisions with the goal to maximize benefits and minimize costs (Newman, 2009, p.64). The choices we make require social approval and self-sufficiency. A family will make sacrifices if they perceive the action will equal rewards. Basically the theory refers to a give and take relationship where there needs to be balance for the relationship to be satisfying.
In my short analysis paper, I plan to use the social exchange theories in order to explain the growth of an important relationship in my life. I will also reflect upon some major turning points in the relationship, what kind of turning points they resemble, and a brief interpretation of what the social exchange theories are. Lastly, I will discuss my critiques of the theory at play. The relationship that I will be analyzing today is between my roommate Michael Gloer and I.
. Family systems theory is one of many theories that can be used to describe and analyze families. The family systems theory thinks of the family as a whole, not just as individuals. Individuals form a family system through their interaction and communication patterns. When something with an individual changes, it impacts the entire family. This theory emphasized interdependence among family members and says that problems should not be blamed on one individual, but should be looked at in terms of the family context. Individual components join together within a family system to form a whole. When a change occurs, the whole family must adapt to the new situation. This theory is a great way to look at families as a whole. There are seven descriptive features that define a family system which are: interdependence, wholeness, patterns/self-regulation, interactive complexity/punctuation, openness, complex relationships, and equifinality. Using these seven pieces, I will relate them to the family from Pieces of April and how that family uses or fails to use the features.
To explain human relationships further, the social exchange theory can be another definite explanation to help distinguish how we feel to be with other people and how one perceives to be with them, either to rekindle their relationship or to question the decisions that make to be in a relationship (Kelley 1959). The social exchange theory can be defined as a term that allows behaviour to be exchanged to allow a relationship between two people to happen (Huston et al., 2013). An individual social life involves interactions between two people which can be viewed as social exchanges in terms of costs and benefits (Nakagawa et al., 2013). By taking the view of human relationships the social exchange theory argues that individuals engage in a cost benefit analysis which forms their relationship with others (Milkie et al., 2004). When the costs and benefits are equal in a relationship, it is defined as equitable (Siddiqui 2008). Moreover, romantic relationships may be difficult for some people as it involves interpersonal skills in order to make them mutually satisfying therefore requires constant maintenance. Recently, Psychologists have begun to look at the breakdown of relationships and the characteristics which requires them to fail. The breakdown of relationship is a theory which explains the failure of certain human relationships and the factors that may be involved such as lack
Interpersonal communication is a form of communication that takes place between two people who have an established relationship. There are many different levels of interpersonal communication and theories of interpersonal communication. One of the theories that is used to explain changes in social behavior is the social exchange theory. The social exchange theory proposes that social behavior is the result of an exchange process between two people. The basic concept of the exchange theory is that it emphasizes the cost between the interactions of people and their social environment. Exchange theory attempts to explain human behavior under the content of a balanced-equal ratio within the distribution of giving and receiving. "At the heart
In many ways family systems theory can be seen as a broad field where there many different implications that make up the system, it is a system. A system is a set of objects that are bound together by a relationship, which are based around the attributes of the objects as drawn upon by (Janet.BB, 1982). Family systems theory addresses the many different ideals and values that make up a typical family, these include the roles each member of the family, the power relations either from the male of the family or both parents of the family, the boundaries that are set within the family to ensure that the structure of the family is secure, in both individualistic and collectivist families this can be seen (Fred Rothbaum, 2002).
• Family developmental theory is an approach to studying families, which is useful in explaining patterned change, the dynamic nature of the family, and how change occurs in the family life cycle.