The Norm of Reciprocity

"You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar"

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The Norm of Reciprocity is simply a principle of how we treat others on how they have treated us. This is a very powerful rule of social behavior that has both a negative side as well as a positive side. The negative side is that people can use this as an allowed retaliation to the people who have harmed or hurt them; the ideology of an ‘eye for an eye’. On the positive side, is that people feel obligated to treat others with kindness if that person has treated them kindly. Whenever someone gives another a gift, invitation, free food (college students), or a free sample people feel obligated to return the favor if they can. (Gouldner, 1960).

Though the norm of reciprocity is generally used in the predictability and fairness of society and basic social interaction, it also can be used to exploit others (Regan, 1971)

In a study conducted by Dennis Regan, this exploitation was observed. Individuals were brought to a laboratory with a confederate (person part of the study, but the participants are unaware) who had to act in a likeable or unlikeable manner for the experiment on “aesthetics” (Regan, 1971).

Condition 1: The confederate did the participant and unsolicited favor, by after coming from a break brought the participant a Coke while they were getting themselves one.

Condition 2: After he went to the break room he returned empty handed.

Condition 2: Participants were treated to a coke, but it was given to them by the experimenter, instead of the confederate. 

The confederate after the conditions were set, told the participants that he was selling raffle tickets for 25 cents each ($.25=1 Raffle Ticket) and asked the participants if they were willing to buy any. On average, participants bought more raffle tickets when the confederate has earlier bought them a soft drink then when he had not (Regan, 1971).

The norm of reciprocity was so strong that participants even returned the favor (buying drink) when the confederate acted as an unlikeable person. Participants on average also paid 43 cents ($.43) on raffle tickets, and though that doesn’t seem like much now, this was a time when soft drinks cost less than quarter. So on average participants paid more than the favor was technically worth (Regan, 1971).

Different people are more likely than others to trigger and exploit the reciprocity norm (Greenberg & Westcott, 1983). 

Creditors: People who use reciprocity to have compliance in other people. They do favors for others, so people will be in their debt and they can cash on this debt whenever they need to. People were identified as creditors, on a questionnaire that measure reciprocation ideology, when they used statements similar to “if someone does you a favor, it’s good to repay that person a greater favor”. Greenberg & Westcott, 1983; Eisenberger et al., 1987).

On the other side, some people more than others try not to accept favors from others, so they don’t have to owe that person or be in their debt. On another scale that measured reciprocation wariness, people were noted to be wary if they express the suspicion; “asking for another’s helps gives them power over your life” (Eisenberger et al., 1987).

Personal Example: Trinidad & Tobago

I am without a doubt a creditor, I have the strong belief that how you treat other people is going to affect how they treat you. I believe that if you do a favor for someone or someone does a favor you the favor should be returned. I also feel if you treat people badly or rudely they’ll definitely respond to you negatively. 

The summer before my senior year I went on a 10 day trip to help Leatherback Sea Turtles, in Trinidad & Tobago. In the group there was a girl named Sam, who was just awful to me. She in my opinion was just a stereotypical mean girl. I was nice to her, due to the fact that I had to live and work with her for 10 days and didn’t want to cause any big strife. 

She never reciprocated though and in general was mean to me and would quickly become mean to others, when she couldn’t be mean to me.  At the beginning of the trip she was ‘good friends’ with the rest of the group, but by the end of the trip everyone had a negative opinion about Sam, talked about her behind her back and when she needed something done for her no one responded. I on the other hand left with better relationships with the people than I had came with; because I was nice and help other people out and I feel because of that everyone was willing to help me out when I needed help. 

When her attitude became such a problem and it was suggested the Sam be separated from me, the other two girls in our room did not want to be her roommate and it was decided by a flip of the coin, and the girl who had to be roommates with her was to say the least not happy.

I believe the way you treat people directly affects the way they treat you. I am a big supporter of doing favors for other people, so whenever I need a favor from someone it is hard for them to refuse. I also heavily dislike being in debt to another person and even when I am friends with someone I still feel like I owe them, if they have done a favor for me. 

Word Count-932

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References

Eisenberger, R. Cotterell, N., & Marvel, J. (1987). Reciprocation ideology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53, 743-750.

Gouldner, A. W. (1960). The norm of reciprocity: A preliminary statement. American Sociological Review, 25, 161-178.

Greenberg, M. S., & Westcott, D. R. (1983). Indebtedness as a mediator of reactions to aid. In J.D. Fisher, A. Nadler, & B. M. DePaulo (Eds). New directions in helping: Vol I. Recipient reactions to aids (pp. 85 -112). New York: Academic Press.

Regan, D. T. (1971). Effects of a favor and liking on compliance. Journal of experimental Social Psychology, 7, 627-639.