Year: 2002
Type: article
Abstract: In this paper we analyze and review the theory of relational cohesion and attendant program of research. Since the early 1990s, the theory has evolved to answer a number of basic questions regarding cohesion and commitment in social exchange relations. Drawing from the sociology of emotion and modem theories of social identity, the theory asserts that joint activity in the form of frequent exchange unleashes positive emotions and perceptions of relational cohesion. In turn, relational cohesion is predicted to be the primary cause of commitment behavior in a range of situations. Here we outline the theory of relational cohesion, tracing its development through the present day, and summarize the corpus of empirical evidence for the theory’s claims. We conclude by looking ahead to future projects and discussing some of the more general issues informed by our work.
Source: eCommons (Cornell University)
Authors: Shane R. Thye, Jeongkoo Yoon, Edward J. Lawler
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: National Science Foundation
Awards: Collaborative Research on Social Exchange and Network Cohesion, Support for Interdisciplinary Research at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Collaborative Research on Social Exchange and Network Cohesion, The Development of Commitment in Negotiated Exchange, Group Formation and Commitment in Multi-Person Productive Exchange
OpenAlex ID: W2771960081