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Relation Between Relation And Social Capital Of The Act Of Reciprocation )

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Molm, Shaefer, and Collett (2007) conducted a study to determine whether there was any sort of value involved with reciprocity. These authors examine the relationship between what is given (referred to as instrumental values for both reciprocators) and the symbolic values (or the social capital of the act of reciprocation). They suggest that there are three criteria that must be met to measure the value of the relationship, which include recurrence across time, uncertainty in reciprocation, and voluntary (which means that each party must willingly engage in the relationship and the reciprocation). These three criteria are also things that can be used to examine relationship formation. For example, when meeting someone for the first time, a …show more content…

Murray (2005) gives an example of an argument between a couple and how their level of closeness could impact one’s willingness to fuel the argument through reciprocating negative remarks. Murray (2005) also looked at certain behaviors that would be reciprocated to avoid sending negative impressions to a potential mate (i.e. feelings of rejection), which include inferences about their partner’s perceptions of risk, inferences about their perceptions of risk, and promoting the relationship versus promoting self-interest. These notions of preserving the relationship even through perceived threats and risk really help relate how risk reduction reciprocity can be seen in the formation of romantic relationships. This is seen through the reducing perceived risks and threats by cooperating with another individual on a more romantic level. For example, if a guy feels lonely, but another guy feels self-conscious about his body, so much so that they may be willing to engage in self-harm. Then, it is possible that by getting involved with one another they reduce the risk that they will engage in self-harm, and they reciprocate by helping one another to gain confidence. Romantic relationships contain many examples of risk reduction reciprocity, but there is also potential for free riding. For example, free riders could be cheaters, lovers that don’t reciprocate affection, partners that desire lust over love, etc…, and with these free riders the risk

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