Social Exchange Theory

Helping: one gives the other receives

Cooperation: helping one another = reward exchange

Kitty Genovese Murder 1964

· 38 residents in a respected NY neighborhood watched

Helping Behavior

· Trait related?

· Situational factors (5)

· Is Mood a factor for helping?

· Helping as rational choice

Norms of Exchange

1. Equality

2. Equity

Profit A (reward A - cost A) = Profit B (reward B - cost B)

3. Need

Economic versus Private Exchange

· Distribution Rule

· Specifications

· Trust

Latané and Darley explored 5 situational factors:

1. notice the event

2. interpreting the situation as one in which help is needed

3. accessing whether help is deserved

4. determine responsibility for helping

5. decide what to do

Reward Exchange (Peter Blau 1955)

Formal Organizational Rules:

If you have a problem ask you supervisor

Social Practice:

Agents asked their colleagues for help

Advice seeker
Ask other agent
do better job +8	reveal lower social status -5
Don't ask
remain independent +6	do a bad job -6
Ask supervisor
do better job +8	lower job ratings –10

Advice giver
Give advice
approval +6	needs to spend time -2
Do your own work
no interruption +2	no acknowledgment of superior performance -6

Currency of Exchange: Resources

Foa&Foa (1974)

PRISONER’S DILEMMA GAME

Definition:

Exploitation > Mutual Cooperation >

Mutual Defense > Being exploited

Dimensions:

Sequential versus Simultaneous

Iterative versus Non Iterative

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