Theories in Social Psychology, 2nd Edition

9 Equity Theory: Evaluating Fairness

Denise M. Polk

Introduction to Equity Theory

Most interpersonal relationships are built around trust, mutual respect, and genuine concern for the other person. Generally, people do not enter a relationship focused on fairness issues. However, concern about social justice is alive in all cultures and social structures because fairness in love and work remains a wise strategy (Hatfield et al., 2008). Most people of all different backgrounds are familiar with the “golden rule”—treat others as they would like to be treated. Furthermore, many people believe that if everyone subscribed to this rule, fairness would prevail, leading to perfectly satisfying relationships.

Whereas these ideas may be very intuitively appealing, they create some potential problems when people in relationships—whether it is a business relationship, a friendship, or a romance—experience difficulties. Difficulties may involve one person getting his or her way more often. In reality, sometimes people feel they put more into a relationship than they get out of it.

It takes effort to build, to maintain, and to repair relationships regardless of the type of relationship. Many people, both researchers and laypersons, are interested in what makes for satisfying relationships as well as what factors keep people together or drive them apart. A number of theories have been developed to help explain how people evaluate their relationships. One of them is equity theory.

Development ...