Exchange Theory

In class this semester, we have learned a lot about what we expect/should expect from the relationships that we are in.  I have given a lot of thought to this lately as things have changed drastically in my relationship status.  The exchange theory is something that we have discussed as a form of weighing out whether or not something is worth what it costs.  It is a “rational assessment of a situation” where all members try to keep their “costs” lower than their rewards in interaction – “because if a relationship consistently costs us more than it rewards us, we are likely to avoid the person or break the relationship.”  As a couple, we should always be willing to give more than we expect to receive, but this only works as long as both parties are equally committed to doing so.  When both receive the same in a relationship, especially if it is more than they are expecting to receive, both will have a feeling that their costs are lower than their benefits.  I believe that this is the best way to live as a couple, because I have seen both this and other ways of doing it, and this one seems to be the most effective in keeping both parties happy.  This is the way that I hope to live in the future.