Social Behavior as Resource Exchange : Explorations into the Societal Structures of the Mind

This book complements and deepens Uriel G. Foa''s and Edna B. Foa''s 1974 presentations of resource theory of social exchange by expanding on the original roots and subsequent refinements and developments of Social Resource Theory (SRT). With its contemporary overview of the theoretical extensions of social resource theory and related empirical research, Social Behavior as Resource Exchange offers far-reaching societal implications for most behavioral and social science disciplines.

This book takes the reader on an exciting journey presenting the development of resource theory of social exchange originated from Uriel G. Foa and Edna B. Foa. This groundbreaking theory has inspired and generated a tremendous amount of basic and applied research in various disciplines of psychology, sociology, management, economics, marketing, and political science. This book, edited by Kjell Törnblom and Ali Kazemi, two prominent and leading scholars in this field, complements and deepens the Foas'' pioneering work from 1974. Within these covers the reader will find an abbreviated version of the Foas'' out-of-print original, which is increasingly referred to by current researchers, alongside new chapters on current issues, developments, and applications written by eleven scholars. The book has a simple and clear-cut message: resource theory is not an exercise in academic hair-splitting but has far-reaching societal implications in that it can provide interesting solutions to a wide range of social issues.