New and Old Friendships: Attributed Effects of Type and Similarity of Transacted Resources

Abstract

This study examined outside observers' judgments of the influence of the nature and similarity of transacted resources on the growth of new and old friendships. A number of hypotheses were developed and tested in a questionnaire study in which female subjects responded to vignettes describing exchanges between two male friends. The design was a 2 (particularistic vs. universalistic resources) x 2 (similar vs. dissimilar resources) x 2 (new vs. old friendship) factorial. A new friendship was (with few exceptions) considered to grow more when similar particularistic rather than similar universalistic or dissimilar resources were exchanged, and when similar universalistic rather than dissimilar resources were exchanged. There were few corresponding differences for an old friendship, however. Also, the exchange of similar particularistic resources, as well as the exchange of dissimilar resources, were seen as more conducive to the growth of a new rather than of an old friendship. The exchange of similar universalistic resources was seen to affect new and old friendships about the same. Overall, the nature of resources transacted, i.e., their degree of particularism/universalism, was the most important cue in subjects'predictions about the development of friendship.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

ALTMAN, I. Reciprocity of interpersonal exchange. Journal for the Theory of Social Behavior, 1973, 3, 249-268.

BIERSTEDT, R. The social order. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1957.

CARSON, R. C. Personality and exchange in developing relationships. In R. L. Burgess & T. L. Huston (Eds.), Social exchange in developing relationships. New York: Academic Press, 1979.

CLARK, M. S. Noncomparability of benefits given and received: A cue to the existence of friendship. Social Psychology Quarterly, 1981, 44, 375-381.

CLARK, M. S. & MILLS, J. Interpersonal attraction in exchange and communal relationships. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1979, 37, 12-24.

DAVIS, K. Human society. New York: Macmillan, 1948.

FOA, U. G. , & FOA, E. B. Societal structures of the mind. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas, 1974.

FOA, E. B. , & FOA, U. G. Resource theory of social exchange. In J. W. Thibaut , J. T. Spence & R. C. Carson (Eds.), Contemporary topics in social psychology. Morristown, N.J. General Learning Press, 1976.

FREDHOLM, E. M. & TORNBLOM, K. Y. The attribution of friendship: Modes of giving and receiving resources. In preparation.

10.

GREENBERG, J. Equity and equality as clues to the relationship between exchange participants. European Journal of Social Psychology, 1983, 13, 195-196.

11.

HATFIELD, E. UTNE, M. K. , & TRAUPMANN, J. Equity theory and intimate relationships. In L. Burgess & T. Huston (Eds.), Social exchange in developing relationships. New York: Academic Press, 1979.

12.

HEIDER, F. The psychology of interpersonal relations. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1958.

13.

HINDE, R. A. Towards understanding relationships. New York: Academic Press, 1979.

14.

HINDE, R. A. The bases of a science of interpersonal relationships. In S. Duck & R. Gilmour (Eds.), Personal relationships. 1: Studying personal relationships. New York: Academic Press, 1981.

15.

HOLMES, J. G. The exchange process in close relationships: Microbehavior and macro-motives. In M. J. Lerner & S. C. Lerner (Eds.), The justice motive in social behavior: Adapting to times of scarcity and change. New York: Plenum Press, 1981.

16.

JONSSON, D. R. Interpersonella relationer. En vidareutveckling av naigra utbytesteoretiska ansater (Interpersonal relations: An elaboration of some exchange theoretical approaches). Doctoral dissertation, University of Goteborg, Goteborg, Sweden, 1970.

17.

JONSSON, D. R. , TORNBLOM, K. Y. , & FREDHOLM, E. M. The growth of friendship: Role-taking as a basis of predictions. In preparation.

18.

KAYSER, E. Laymen's social psychologies: The inference from social behaviors to group type. Unpublished manuscript, 1983.

19.

KAYSER, E. & SCHWINGER, T. A. A Theoretical analysis of the relationship among individual justice concept, layman's psychology and distribution decision. Journalfor the Theory of Social Behavior, 1982, 12, 47-51.

20.

KELLEY, H. H. Personal relationships: Their structures and processes. Hillsdale, New Jersey: Erlbaum, 1979.

21.

KIDDER, L. H. ., FAGAN, M. A. , & COHN, E. S. Giving and receiving: Social justice in close relationships. In M. J. Lerner & S. C. Lerner (Eds.), The justice motive in social behavior: Adapting to times of scarcity and change. New York: Plenum Press, 1981.

22.

LA GAIPA, J. J. Interpersonal attraction and social exchange. In S. Duck (Ed.), Theory and practice in interpersonal attraction. New York: Academic Press, 1977.

23.

MORTON, T. L. Intimacy and reciprocity of exchange: A comparison of spouses and strangers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1978, 36, 72-81.

24.

OLSON, D. H. Insiders' and outsiders' view of relationships: Research studies. In G. Levinger & H. L. Raush (Eds.), Close relationships. Massachusetts: University of Massachusetts Press, 1977.

25.

PARSONS, T. The social system. Glencoe, Illinois: The Free Press, 1951.

26.

TORNBLOM, K. Y. , & FREDHOLM, E. M. Attribution of friendship: The influence of the nature and comparability of resources given and received. Social Psychology Quarterly, 1984, 47, 50-61.

27.

VAN KREVELD, D. , & VAN BEEMAN, E. K. Distributing goods and benefits: A framework and review of research. Gedrag: Tijdschrift voor psychologie, 1978, 6, 361-401.

28.

WALSTER, E. , WALSTER, G. W. , & BERSCHEID, E. Equity theory and research. Boston, Massachusetts: Allyn and Bacon, 1978.