The evaluation of rewards and costs incurred in the context of interaction is central to equity and exchange theories of interpersonal behavior; however, the question of how this assessment is affected by the anticipation of future interaction has not been directly investigated. If the maintenance of equity in relationships is important, then the…

Several theoretical approaches have been offered to explain the phenomenon of reciprocity: trust-liking, social exchange, and modeling. The emphasis of previous research on self-disclosure reciprocity (descriptive reciprocation), the intimacy of the facts an individual reveals about him- or herself, stems largely from the fact that these…

Examined equity in marriage in 400 middle-aged and older married women who described equity at eight points across their lifespan. Results suggested women begin a marriage with a sense of overbenefit, move into a period of underbenefit during their middle years, and feel fairly treated in late middle age. (JAC)

Hypotheses linking positional power in bargaining networks to evaluations of self and others were supported: (1) persons in central exchange network positions evaluate themselves as feeling more pleasant and more exhilarated; and (2) central persons impute lower status and higher positive evaluations to peripheral positions. (Author)

Uses social exchange theory to examine the process by which employees are dismissed from organizations. Examines interview data from an exploratory study that suggests managers are influenced by information from group members as they calculate a cost-benefit ratio for the employer-employee relationship. Indicates a progression of communication…

In egalitarian families, we might expect that men and women similarly prioritize work and family obligations. Yet, prior research examining gender differences in work-family priorities often use measures that imperfectly reflect those priorities. Drawing two samples of full-time married workers from the 1992 National Study of the Changing…

This paper explores spatial theory, and particularly a Foucauldian analysis of space, power, and the subject, as a frame within which to examine moves toward security in North American urban schools. We bring into play empirical data from an ethnographic study of New York City and Toronto schools where policies and technologies of record-keeping,…

A study was conducted to investigate the practical management of interactions sustaining close friendships. Ten pairs of close friends were interviewed individually on two occasions and together on a third occasion. An interpretive analysis of subjects' remarks identified a dialectical principle governing the communicative organization of…

This paper assesses certain aspects of current socialization theory, arguing that there are two major developments in the field of psychology as a whole which need to be more fully assimilated in the work on socialization. The first is the attack on trait theory, and it is argued that socialization research can survive this attack only if it…

The purpose of this study was to frame the outlines of an interpersonal theory derived from exploratory research among adolescent reading failures. The theory postulates that adolescent reading failure syndrome results from and is maintained by conscious elements of choice manifested in the adolescent's perception preferences. The affective…

Examined the circumstances surrounding marriage termination in relation to the aftermath of marital separation. Collected data from a nonprobability sample of 205 individuals. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that 41 percent of the variance in acceptance of marital termination can be explained by marital history variables. (Author/RC)

Assessed the value of "noncontractual social exchange" (NSE) to describe leader behavior. Results of an experiment using an in-basket memo device showed that subordinate competence best predicted the intentions of such behavior by a sample of working adults: subjects were more likely to initiate NSE with highly competent subordinates. (Author)

Investigated the extent to which Swedish couples (N=128) share domestic tasks using a mail survey. Suggests Swedish couples shared household chores more evenly than American couples. Results indicated variables measuring social exchange theory, family life-cycle stage, and socialization had the greatest influence on role sharing behavior.…

Childless spouses were significantly more liberal toward divorce than were spouses with children, with childless wives being the most liberal of all. Husbands were more influenced by the perceived quality of the marital relationship, in support of cognitive dissonance theory. (Author)

Applies assumed similarity and reward-cost theories to problem of low rates of utilization of mental health and social service programs by rural Alaska Native populations. Recommends strategies of service delivery to increase utilization of needed services. Recommendations may be applicable to other rural areas. (Author/TES)