Under-benefiting Exchange Orientation
1. I usually do not forget if my partner owes me a favor.
2. If I have something to offer the relationship that my partner is incapable of also giving (e.g.‚ money‚ status‚ physical attractiveness)‚ I expect him/her to compensate by giving other things in return
3. I usually remember if my partner owes me money
4. If I take my partner out to dinner‚ I expect him/her to do the same for me sometime.
5. When I exchange gifts with a partner on an important occasion (Christmas‚ anniversary) I feel bad (cheated) if I have spent significantly more money on him/her than he/she has on me.
6. If my partner owes me a favor‚ I don’t mind if she/he waits a long time before repaying.
7. If my partner feels entitled to an evening out with friends of either sex‚ then I feel entitled to do the same.
8. It bothers me if my partner doesn’t fulfill his/her obligations to me.
9. If I do dishes three times a week‚ then I expect my partner to do them three times a week also (or something equivalent).
10.If I were to campaign for someone running for office‚ I’d expect some sort of compensation or at least recognition.
11.If I tell my partner about my private affairs (business‚ family‚ love experiences) I expect him/her to tell me something about his/hers.
12.If I’m out to dinner with my partner‚ I would much rather that he/she pays the bill entirely than if I paid the bill entirely.
13.I prefer not to send a second letter to a partner unless I had received a letter or phone call in response to my first letter.
14.When I invite my partner to dinner at my house‚ I prefer that he/she offers to bring something (e.g.‚ wine‚ dessert).
15.If I praise my partner for his/her accomplishments‚ I expect him/her to praise me for mine as well.
16.If I give my partner a ride to work on an occasional basis (approximately 6 times a month)‚ then I expect him/her to repay me in some way.
17.I wish my partner would show more acknowledgement when I say or do nice things to them.
18.It bothers me if my partner/people I like do less for me than I do for them.
19.When buying a present for my partner‚ I often try to remember the value of what he/she has given me in the past and I try not to buy something of more value.
20.If I show up on time for a date‚ I become upset if my partner shows up late.
Over-benefiting Exchange Orientation
21.I usually do not forget if I owe my partner a favor.
22.If my partner has something to offer the relationship that I’m incapable of also giving (money‚ status‚ physical attractiveness) I would try to compensate by giving other things in return.
23.I usually remember if I owe my partner money.
24.When I exchange gifts with a significant other on an important occasion (Christmas‚ anniversary)‚ I feel bad (guilty) if I have spent significantly less money on him/her than he/she has on me.
25.If I owe my partner a favor‚ it doesn’t bother me to wait a long time before repaying.
26.If I feel entitled to an evening out with friends of either sex‚ then I feel my partner should feel entitled to the same.
27.It bothers me if I don’t fulfill my obligations to my partner.
28.If my partner does dishes three times a week‚ then I expect to do them three times a week also (or something equivalent).
29.If someone were to campaign for me running for office‚ I’d expect to give compensation or at least recognition in return.
30.If my partner tells me about his/her private affairs (business‚ family‚ love experiences) I expect to tell him/her something about me.
31.If I’m out to dinner with my partner‚ I would much rather pay the bill entirely than have him/her pay the bill entirely.
32.I prefer that my partner does not send a second letter before I have had the chance to send a letter or make a phone call in response to his/her first letter.
33.When I go to dinner at my partner’s house‚ I prefer to bring something (e.g.‚ wine‚ dessert).
34.If my partner praises me for my accomplishments‚ I will praise him/her for his/her accomplishments as well.
35.If my partner gives me a ride to work on an occasional basis (approximately 6 times a month)‚ then I expect to repay him/her in some way.
36.I try to show my partner acknowledgement when he/she says or does nice things for me.
37.It bothers me if my partner/people I like do more for me than I do for them.
38.When buying a present for my partner‚ I often try to remember the value of what he/she has given me in the past and I try not to buy something of less value.
39.If I’m late for an date with my partner I get upset with myself.
40.???
The over-benefiting scale had a reliability of alpha = .81‚ and the under benefiting scale had a reliability of alpha = .85
1(strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree)
This instrument can be found at: http://psych.hanover.edu/research/Thesis07/BenderPaper.pdf
Sprecher‚ S. (1998). The effect of exchange orientation on close relationships. Social Psychology Quarterly‚ 61(3)‚ 220-231.
Bender‚ Amy. (2007). Predictors and Consequences of Involvement in Age-Discrepant Romantic Relationships. Hanover College. [email protected]
Zak‚ A.‚ Armer‚ E.‚ Edmunds‚ K.‚ Fleury‚ T.‚ Sarris‚ M.‚ & Shatynski‚ B. (2001). Age discrepant relationships: Do these romances fare well?. North American Journal of Psychology‚ 3(1)‚ 119-122.