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).

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...

Social psychologists have documented that feeling good about ourselves and maintaining positive self-esteem is a powerful motivator of human behavior (Tavris & Aronson, 2008). In the United States, members of the predominant culture typically think very highly of themselves and view themselves as good people who are above average on many desirable traits (Ehrlinger, Gilovich, & Ross, 2005). Often, our behavior, attitudes, and beliefs are affected when we experience a threat to our...

Information is everywhere and its presentation—such as how and when items are presented—can impact our perceptions and decisions surrounding the info. This broad concept umbrellas framing effects—influences that occur due to the way information is framed in its appearance, whether it’s purely the order or the specific wording of a message. Let’s take a look at numerous ways in which two versions of something can objectively say the same thing, yet we respond in...

The Analysis of Variance or ANOVA is a statistical test developed by Ronald Fisher in 1918. It is performed on three or more samples to check for equality between their means.
Before performing ANOVA, one must ensure that the samples used for this analysis have three crucial characteristics or statistical assumptions. The first assumption states that the samples should be drawn from normally distributed samples, while the second requires that all the drawn samples should be randomly and...

The Analysis of Variance or ANOVA is a statistical test developed by Ronald Fisher in 1918. It is performed on three or more samples to check for equality between their means.
Before performing ANOVA, one must ensure that the samples used for this analysis have three crucial characteristics or statistical assumptions. The first assumption states that the samples should be drawn from normally distributed samples, while the second requires that all the drawn samples be randomly and independently...