Contrast and Comparison Between Exchange Theory and Systems Theory

While I thinking about the exchange theory in regards to relationships I am able to apply the concept to a relationship that I was involved in about a year ago. My idea of a well-balanced relationship involves a certain level reciprocity. I want my investments in a relationship to be more rewarding as opposed to punishing. Now, on the other end, my partner was not very reciprocal, especially when it came to gift-giving on special occasions and paying for meals, movies, concerts….etc. The gift-giving issue for example, for Christmas, my partner received a gift from me that cost me over a hundred dollars and guess what was given to me in return……well absolutely nothing. On my birthday I did not receive a phone call from him, nor a birthday gift, although for his birthday I bought him balloons, a birthday cake and treated him out to dinner. That is definitely an example of uneven exchange in relationships. The pay-offs in that relationship did measure against the costs. This resulted to my serious anger with that relationship which had the ultimate impact on the decision to end the relationship. Had I felt that there was an even transaction between that both of us the relationship would probably still exist.

Canda, Chatterjee, and Robbins (1998) suggests that the theory of exchange may be used for empowerment at a micro or interpersonal level due to their focus on power imbalances, but it is unlikely that this theory will have a broad application to macro-level practice and social exchange due to their inherently conservative nature (p., 133). In other words, the concept of exchange is seldom applied to social work practice, based on the theory’s biases.

The systems theory provides four different perspectives of the cause and effect relationships of human interactions, which involve the following: (1.) structural functionalism, (2.) ecological perspective, (3.) dynamic systems theory, and (4.) deep ecology. Exchange theory may have a way of breaking down each of those four perspectives to illustrate the rewards and punishments of social transactions. For example, from a structural functionalist point of view, poor people appear to serve a purpose in America. With that in mind, underlies the idea that people living in poverty are more likely to have “degrading and low paying jobs�

Some topics in this essay:
Exchange Theory, Theory Systems, Chatterjee Robbins, Ethics Unfortunately, Personal Experience, exchange theory, systems theory, et al 1998, canda et al, canda et, al 1998, et al, social values, Canda Chatterjee, canda chatterjee robbins, robbins 1998, uneven exchange, canda chatterjee, chatterjee robbins 1998, people seen, al 1998 338,