Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Factors Influencing Attraction IV: Reciprocity

Factors Influencing Attraction IV: Reciprocity

Reciprocity in attraction is fundamental to social and romantic relationships, shaping how individuals form and maintain connections. The psychological principle underlying this phenomenon is that people tend to like those who express liking toward them. Balance theory supports this tendency, suggesting that mutual attraction fosters psychological harmony, whereas one-sided affection leads to discomfort and cognitive dissonance.The Psychological Mechanisms Behind ReciprocityWhen individuals...

Ending Relationships

Ending Relationships

The dissolution of intimate relationships presents complex emotional and psychological challenges, particularly when emotional bonds are strong, the relationship is long-standing, and perceived alternatives are limited. This distress often intensifies in romantic breakups, where the initiator may experience greater turmoil than the rejected partner. Contributing factors include residual attachment, guilt over causing pain, and uncertainty about how to manage the situation. The stress is further...

Relationship Growth

Relationship Growth

Interpersonal relationships progress through stages, beginning with awareness and moving toward mutuality, where emotional connections deepen. While many relationships remain at moderate levels of mutuality, deeper connections form through self-disclosure, trust, and interdependence.Self-DisclosureSelf-disclosure involves revealing personal information, starting with surface-level details and gradually progressing to more intimate content. As trust grows, individuals feel more comfortable...

Relationship Formation

Relationship Formation

What do you think is the single most influential factor in determining with whom you become friends and whom you form romantic relationships? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is simple: the people with whom you have the most contact. This most important factor is proximity. You are more likely to be friends with people you have regular contact with. For example, there are decades of research that shows that you are more likely to become friends with people who live in your dorm,...

Social Exchange Theory

Social Exchange Theory

We have discussed why we form relationships, what attracts us to others, and different types of love. But what determines whether we are satisfied with and stay in a relationship? One theory that provides an explanation is social exchange theory. According to social exchange theory, we act as naïve economists in keeping a tally of the ratio of costs and benefits of forming and maintaining a relationship with others (Rusbult & Van Lange, 2003).

Social Exchange Theory

Social Exchange Theory

As formulated by John Thibaut and Harold Kelley, Social Exchange Theory explains human relationships as economic-like exchanges that maximize rewards and minimize costs. This theory suggests that individuals engage in relationships to gain benefits and reduce burdens, similar to economic transactions. It has been widely applied to various types of relationships, including romantic, professional, and social interactions.Rewards and Costs in RelationshipsRelationship rewards include emotional...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Temperament correlates in adult ADHD: A systematic review<sup>★★</sup>.

Journal of affective disorders·2019

Same author

Suicide among Italian police officers from 1995 to 2017.

Rivista di psichiatria·2019

Same author

Objectively measured mobility of rural community-dwelling people aged 80 and over is strongly associated with greater use of services for community integration and social support: An observational study.

The Australian journal of rural health·2019

Same author

Preliminary Validation of the Italian Night Eating Questionnaire (I-NEQ-16): Item Analysis and Factor Structure.

Frontiers in psychology·2019

Same author

Suicide rates in Irish counties: 10 years later.

Irish journal of psychological medicine·2018

Same author

Identifying Psychological Strains in Suicide Notes.

Omega·2018

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community

Published on: May 31, 2019

An inquiry into relationship suicides and reciprocity.

Mark S Davis¹, Valerie J Callanan, David Lester

¹Criminal Justice Research Center at Ohio State University in Columbus, USA. davis.198@osu.edu

Suicide & Life-Threatening Behavior

|November 26, 2009

Summary

This study introduces a reciprocity-based theory for relationship-related suicides. Analysis of suicide notes revealed motives like retaliation and retreat, suggesting social exchange dynamics in suicide.

More Related Videos

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling

Published on: January 17, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community

Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community

Published on: May 31, 2019

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling

Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling

Published on: January 17, 2025

Area of Science:

Psychology
Sociology
Criminology

Background:

Existing suicide theories infrequently incorporate the norm of reciprocity.
Literature suggests motivations like retaliation and retreat in suicide may relate to reciprocity.
A theoretical gap exists in explaining relationship-based suicides through social exchange principles.

Purpose of the Study:

To propose and test a reciprocity-based theory explaining suicides linked to relationship problems.
To identify specific reciprocity-related motives within suicide notes from individuals experiencing relationship issues.

Main Methods:

Content analysis of suicide notes from individuals who died by suicide.
Categorization of motives based on principles of social exchange and reciprocity.
Statistical comparison of characteristics between reciprocity-based and non-reciprocity-based suicide notes.

Main Results:

Evidence found for exploitation, exploiter guilt, retaliation, and retreat as motives in relationship-based suicides.
Individuals whose notes indicated reciprocity-based motives were more likely to have used alcohol or drugs prior to suicide.
Reciprocity-based note writers were also more likely to have previously communicated their suicidal intentions.

Conclusions:

The norm of reciprocity provides a viable framework for understanding relationship-based suicides.
Motives such as retaliation and retreat are interpretable through the lens of social exchange.
Findings have implications for suicide prevention strategies and future research directions in suicidology.