Editing Social exchange theory (section)

===Theoretical propositions===

Affect theory of social exchange shows how the conditions of exchanges promote interpersonal and group relationships through emotions and affective processes. The theoretical arguments center on the following five claims:

'''Emotions produced by exchange are involuntary, internal responses'''

Individuals experience [[Emotion|emotions]] (general feelings of pleasantness or unpleasantness) depending on whether their exchange is successful.  These emotions can be construed as a reward or punishment, and individuals can strive to repeat actions that reproduce positive emotions or avoid negative emotions.

'''Individuals attempt to understand what in a social exchange situation produces emotions'''

Individuals will use the exchange task to understand the source (partners, groups, or networks) of their emotions. Individuals are more likely to attribute their emotions to their exchange partners or groups when the task can only be completed with one or more partners, when the task requires interdependent (non-separable) contributions, and when there is a shared sense of responsibility for the success or failure of the exchange.

'''The mode of exchange determines the features of the exchange task and influences the attribution of the emotion produced'''

The [[#Comparison levels|mode of exchange]] (productive, negotiated, reciprocal, or generalized) provides a description of the exchange task. The task features are defined by the degree of interdependence (separability of tasks) and shared responsibility between partners to complete the task. These features influence the strength of the emotion felt. Productive exchanges are interdependent, and this high degree of non-separability generates the strongest emotions. Reciprocal exchanges are separable which reduces the perceptions of shared responsibility. The exchange produces little emotional response, but individuals instead express emotions in response to the asymmetrical transaction. [[Generalized exchange|Generalized exchanges]] do not occur directly, but interdependence is still high and coordination between partners is difficult. Because there is no direct emotional foundation, emotions produced are low. Negotiated exchanges may produce conflicting emotions due to the mixed-motive nature of negotiations; even when transactions are successful, individuals may feel like they had the ability to do better, creating emotional ambivalence. Overall, productive exchanges produce the strongest attributions of emotions, generalized (indirect) [[Generalized exchange|exchange]] the weakest, with negotiated and reciprocal exchanges in between.

'''The attribution of emotions resulting from different exchange modes impact the solidarity felt with partners or groups'''

The different types of exchange (productive, reciprocal, and generalized) also impact the solidarity or identification that an individual will feel with their exchange partners or group. The different exchange types help dictate the target of felt emotions and influences an individual's attachment. Affective attachment occurs when a social unit (partner or group) is the target of positive feelings from exchange; affective detachment (alienation) occurs when a social unit is the target of negative feelings from failure to exchange.<ref name="Lawler" /> Affective attachment increases solidarity. Similar to the attribution of emotion, productive exchange produces the strongest affective attachments, [[generalized exchange]] the weakest, and negotiated and reciprocal exchange are in between.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

One condition for how social (partner or group) attributions can increase solidarity is by reducing self-serving attributions of credit or blame for the success or failure of the exchange. When individuals have group attributions for positive emotions stemming from success, this eliminates any [[self-serving bias]]es and enhances both pride in the self and gratitude to the partner. However, group attributions for negative emotions stemming from failure do not eliminate self-serving biases, resulting in more anger toward the partner or group than shame in the self.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

Lawler also proposes that the persistence (stability) and ability to control acts by the exchange partner (controllability) provide conditions for affective attachment by attributing credit or blame for the success or failure of the exchange.<ref name="Lawler" /> Following Weiner (1985)<ref name="Weiner">{{cite journal |doi=10.1037/0033-295X.92.4.548|pmid=3903815|title=An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion|journal=Psychological Review|volume=92|issue=4|pages=548–73|year=1985|last1=Weiner|first1=Bernard}}</ref> affect theory of social exchange extrapolates that the combinations of stability and uncontrollability elicit different emotions. In social exchange, social connections can be sources of stability and controllability. For example, if an exchange partner is perceived as a stable source of positive feelings, and the exchange partner has control in the acts that elicit those positive feelings, this will strengthen affective attachment. Therefore, affect theory of social exchange proposes that stable and controllable sources of positive feelings (i.e. pleasantness, pride, gratitude) will elicit affective attachments while stable and uncontrollable sources of negative feelings (i.e. unpleasantness, shame, anger) will elicit affective detachment.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}

'''Through these emotional processes, networks can develop group properties'''

Repeated exchanges allow a network to evolve into a group. Affect theory highlights the contributions of emotions in producing group properties. Successful interactions generate positive feelings for the involved individuals, which motivates them to interact with the same partners in the future. As exchanges repeat, the strong relationships become visible to other parties, making salient their role as a group and helping to generate a group identity that continues to bind the partners together in a network. Affect theory predicts that networks of negotiated and reciprocal exchange will tend to promote stronger relational ties within partners; productive or [[generalized exchange]] will promote stronger network or group-level ties.{{citation needed|date=October 2014}}