Changes in reinforcement contingencies and the disruption of social exchange

Abstract

Social exchange, reinforcement, and equity theories suggest that several forms of change in social reinforcement contingencies should disrupt social interaction. A laboratory experiment compared the disruptive effects of three forms of contingency change on social exchange in the dyad: (1) the addition of an individual contingency as an alternative reward source, (2) reduction in the magnitude of rewards from social exchange, and (3) a change from equitable to inequitable exchange. All three forms of change were more likely to induce deviation than a control condition of no change. Of the three forms of change, contingency addition produced the most sustained disruptions and reward reduction the shortest disruptions; inequity was intermediate. The same rank order, although nonsignificant, was observed for probability of initial deviation. Subjects' responses to postexperimental questionnaires suggest that reward reduction and inequity produced the kinds of emotional responses predicted by exchange and equity theories, but these reactions do not appear to mediate the effects on deviation.