Structural Exchange and Marital Interaction

This paper explores the potential contributions of social exchange theory in investigations of stable marital interaction patterns. It is argued that social exchange has been most effectively utilized in the marriage and family literature to explain mate-selection and relationship formation or dissolution processes while having contributed less to the study of stable marital relationships. An explanation posited is that the structural, cognitive, and temporal dimensions of social relationships have been deemphasized in sociological exchange theory. This has resulted in problematic application to the study of marital relationships which evidence structural and normative constraints, internalized role expectations and obligations, and unequal distribution of resources resulting in asymmetrical exchange. This paper explores the possibilities of a structural exchange theory of marital interaction by discussing the importance of considering structural and temporal dimensions involved in marital exchange and the need to examine the influence of the social structure on the cognitive orientations of the marital partners and the subsequent exchange relationship. Finally, the paper examines how trust and commitment in marriage affect marital exchange processes and incorporates these concepts into this theoretical approach.