Theories of romantic relationships: equity theory
Equity theory says people feel satisfied in a relationship when both partners receive rewards proportional to what they put in. An imbalance — giving too much or too little — causes distress.
Real World
A 2018 study of dual-income couples found that when one partner took on significantly more housework despite both working full-time, the over-burdened partner reported lower relationship satisfaction — consistent with equity theory's prediction about perceived unfairness.
Exam Focus
Emphasise that equity means proportional fairness, not equality — examiners penalise students who treat these as identical concepts.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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