How can the social exchange theory and relational dialectics theory be combined to predict the future of a relationship?

What will be an ideal response?

- This question can be answered a number of ways, but an answer should reflect understanding both theories and using them together to understand how decisions to initiate, continue, or discontinue a relationship are made. Some students may argue that neither theory is adequate for predicting the outcome of a relationship but combined they seem to tell a more complete story.
- The social exchange theory argues that people weigh the costs and rewards of a relationship to make decisions about its future. The theory further asserts that we base relational decisions on getting the greatest amount of reward with the least amount of cost.
* Communication researchers observed that we move quickly to terminate relationships that fall below our expectations when we have an opportunity to develop new relationships with the potential to exceed those expectations.
- The relational dialectics theory views relationship development as the management of the tensions that pull us in two directions at the same time. Three dialectical tensions have been widely researched:
* Connection versus autonomy-we both desire to connect and be interdependent with others, yet we have a desire to remain independent.
* Predictability versus novelty-relationships that fall into comfortable routines help reduce tension, but they can become boring and need freshness.
* Openness versus closedness-we want to be totally open with our partners; however, we also value our privacy.
- One explanation could be that the dialectical tensions are the sources from which costs and rewards stem when talking about the social exchange theory.
* For example, each tension will be different for every person, but each person will weigh the benefits of connectedness versus the cost to autonomy for any relationship in which they engage.
- The same argument could be made in the other direction using the relational dialectics theory as the foundation for the combination of the two theories.
* For example, the evaluation of the value of a relationship might be based on how the costs and rewards between the three tensions balance out.