Graduation Date
1995
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Master of Arts degree with a major in Sociology
Committee Chair Name
Dr. Elizabeth Watson
Committee Chair Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Dr. Paul V. Crosbie
Third Committee Member Name
Dr. Susan Bicknell
Keywords
Sociology
Subject Categories
Sociology
Abstract
Past experimental research on the distribution of power in social networks indicated that central positions in a social network have a significant exchange advantage over peripheral positions. All of these studies have focused on economic exchange situations, in which the economic rewards are the sole basis of the exchange. These studies have not examined social exchange situations, in which the exchange of social courtesy between network positions is seen as important or more important than the economic rewards being exchanged. An experiment was designed to test a hypothesis about social exchange situations suggested by anthropological research. The hypothesis is that the distribution of power resulting from social exchanges will differ from a distribution of power based solely on economic exchanges. Social rewards are, at most, a very minor part of economic exchanges, but they are a very major part of social exchanges. Power in social exchange comes either in the form of greater opportunity for exchange or as greater social esteem. The experimental design to test this hypothesis seeks to compare the distribution of power iv under these two situations by using an exchange game in which the use value of the exchange medium is defined in the same way across conditions, but the rules of exchange are varied to match the “rules” observed in the reference situations. This was accomplished by conducting negotiated deals in the economic form and gift giving in the social.
Recommended Citation
Siah, Shawn E., "The Power of Social Change: Gift Giving vs. Economic Change" (1995). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 2449.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/2449