Can equity theory explain the quality and the stability of romantic relationships?*

This study, designed as a test of the applicability of equity theory to romantic relationships, examined the hypotheses that the quality and the stability of dating relationships which are perceived as equitable are better than those of inequitable relationships. Ninety‐two male students had to complete a questionnaire regarding various aspects of their relationship with their girlfriend. From these data a number of different equity indices and a measure of the quality of the relationship were calculated. Five months later the continuance of the relationships was checked and the quality was again assessed. Results revealed that neither the quality nor the stability of the relationships could be predicted on the basis of the equity indices. Furthermore, the validity of the various equity measures is called into question by the results of intercorrelation analyses. The methodological problems confronting an experimenter wanting to apply equity theory to more complex relationships are discussed.