Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Adams' dissonance-based equity theory is compared with a normative approach based on the value-expectancy-normative (VEN) model of social behaviour. This alternative view of equity phenomena avoids difficulties associated with consistency theory by attributing motivation to reduce inequity to conformity with an equity norm. It retains most of the behavioural predictions of Adams' model but emphasizes the effect of situational factors known to influence conformity. It is suggested that the VEN model is particularly useful for predicting behaviour in cases of profitable inequity where self-interest and equitable behaviour are in conflict. In the first experiment high and low profitable inequity were induced by two levels of overpayment, and reward re-allocation examined under two 'surveillance' conditions. Reward re-allocation occurred as predicted by Adams, but the effect of magnitude of inequity on outcome choice supported the VEN prediction rather than predictions derived from Adams' somewhat ambiguous statement. The effect of the surveillance variable did not reach the required level of significance. The VEN approach was further examined in the second experiment by inducing competitive and co-operative relations between P and 0 and exposing them to two levels of economic cost of conforming with the equity norm. As predicted, both the competitive relationship and high cost of conformity reduced equitable behaviour.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

ADAMS, J. S. (1963). Toward an understanding of inequity. J. Abnorm. soc. Psychol. 67, 422-436 .

ADAMS, J. S. (1965). Inequity in social exchange. In Berkowitz, L. (ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology, Vol. 2, pp. 267-299. New York: Academic Press .

AJZEN, I. & FISHBEIN, M. (1970). The prediction of behaviour from attitudinal and normative variables. J. exper. soc. Psycbol. 6, 466-487 .

ANDREWS, I. R. (1967). Wage inequity and job performance: an experimental study. J. appl. Psychol. 51, 3 9-45 .

FISHBEIN, M. (1967). Attitude and the prediction of behaviour. In Fishbein, M. (ed.), Readings in attitude theory and measurement. New York: Wiley .

GOULDNER, A. W. (1960). The norm of reciprocity: a preliminary statement . Amer. sociol. Rev. 25, 161-179 .

HOMANS, G. C. (1958). Social behaviour as exchange . Amer. J. Sociol. 63, 5 97-606 .

HOMANS, G. C. (1961). Social behaviour: its elementary forms. New York: Harcourt, Brace and World .

JAQUES, E. (1961). Equitable payment. New York: Wiley .

10.

LANE, I. M. & MESSft, L. A. (1971). Equity and the distribution of rewards . J. Pers. soc. Psychol. 20, 1-17 .

11.

LANE, I. M. & MESSE, L. A. (1972). Distribution of insufficient, sufficient, and oversufficient rewards: a clarification of equity theory J. Pers. soc. Psychol. 21, 228-233 .

12.

LAWLER, E. E. , KOPLIN, C. A. , YOUNG, T. F. & FADEM, J. A. (1968). Inequity reduction over time in an induced overpayment situation . Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance 3, 25 3-268 .

13.

LAWLER, E. E. & O'GARA, P. W. (1967). Effects of inequity produced by underpayment on work output, work quality, and attitudes toward the work. J. appl. Psychol. 51, 403-410 .

14.

LEVENTHAL, G. S. , ALLEN, J. & KEMELGOR, B. (1969). Reducing inequity by re-allocating rewards . Psychonomic Sci. 14, 295-296 .

15.

LEVENTHAL, G. S. & ANDERSON, D. (1970). Self-interest and the maintenance of equity. J. Pers. soc. Psychol. 15, 57-62 .

16.

LEVENTHAL, G. S. & LANE, D. W. (1970). Sex, age, and equity behaviour . J. Pers. soc. Psychol. 15 312-316 .

17.

LEVENTHAL, G. S. , WEISS, T. & LONG, G. (1969). Equity, reciprocity and re-allocating rewards in the dyad. J. Pers. soc. Psychol. 13, 300-305 .

18.

PATCHEN, M. (1961). The choice of wage comparisons. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall .

19.

PRITCHARD, R. D. (1969). Equity theory: a review and critique . Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance 4, 176-211 .

20.

ROSENBERG, M. J. (1968). Hedonism, inauthenticity, and other goads toward expansion of a consistency theory. In Abelson, R. P. et al. (eds), Theories of cognitive consistency: a sourcebook, Chicago: Rand McNally & Co. pp. 73-111.

21.

WEICK, K. E. & NESSET, B. (1968). Preferences among forms of equity . Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance 3, 400-416 .

22.

WICKER, A. W. & BUSHWEILER, G. (1970). Perceived fairness and pleasantness of social exchange situations: two factorial studies of inequity. J. Pers. soc. Psychol. 15, 63-75 .

Situational Determinants of Equitable Behavior

Abstract

Get full access to this article

References