Effect of resources similarity on satisfaction with exchange

It was predicted that the amount of satisfaction following an interpersonal exchange will be higher when the resource given is similar to the one reciprocated, and lower when they are dissimilar. Interpersonal exchange situations were experimentally created in which 2 independent variables – the resource given by the participant and the resource received by him – were manipulated. Each participant was induced to give a confederate, upon the latter’s bidding, a given 1 of the following 6 resources: love, status, information, money, goods, and services. The confederate then reciprocated with 1 of 2 predetermined resources – money or love. The hypothesis was supported when money was the resource of reciprocation. For love reciprocation internal analysis and an additional experiment indicated that the lower-than-expected satisfaction was affected by devaluation effect and the short time allowed for the exchange. Application of the findings is discussed.