Social Exchange Theory Application to Advance Nursing2 Essay Example
Social Exchange Theory: Application to Advance Nursing
Anita Thigpen Perry School of Nursing
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Social Exchange Theory: Application to Advance Nursing
Both sociology and psychology try to explain why human beings do what they do, and act in the manner in which they do. Social Exchange theory attempts to explain how we interact with one another and what we get from those interactions. The purpose of this paper is to look at how Social Exchange theory relates to advance practice nursing. I will discuss George C. Homans social exchange theory (Homans, 1958, p. 597) and how it applies to small groups. I will also discuss the theorist’s background, the studies and articles that led to his development of this theory, the application of the theory to advance practice nursing as well as the components of the theory.
History
Long before George Homans penned his articles and books on social exchange, “…attention should be called to Albert Chavannes who wrote on the subject of exchange in 1884” (Knox, 1963, p. 341). Chavannes edited a magazine called The Sociologist and he wrote a section specifically for the editor in which he spoke of “…social laws, declaring: It is the mission of Sociology to demonstrate that man obeys in his conduct as fixed and unchangeable laws as the winds or rain…”(Knox, 1963, p. 342). One of these laws which he spoke of was “The Law of Exchange where he states boldly that profitable exchange is the foundation upon which men have built society” (Knox, 1963, p. 342).
Theorist’s background. George C. Homans was born August 11, 1910 in Boston, Massachusetts and attended Harvard University as an English major (Trevino, 2009, p. 1). “He became a junior fellow in sociology in 1934; was invited to become a professor of sociology in 1939…” (Trevino, 2009, p. 1). While not formally trained as a sociologist he became friends with several of the professors while a junior fellow.
Anita Thigpen Perry School of Nursing
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Social Exchange Theory: Application to Advance Nursing
Both sociology and psychology try to explain why human beings do what they do, and act in the manner in which they do. Social Exchange theory attempts to explain how we interact with one another and what we get from those interactions. The purpose of this paper is to look at how Social Exchange theory relates to advance practice nursing. I will discuss George C. Homans social exchange theory (Homans, 1958, p. 597) and how it applies to small groups. I will also discuss the theorist’s background, the studies and articles that led to his development of this theory, the application of the theory to advance practice nursing as well as the components of the theory.
History
Long before George Homans penned his articles and books on social exchange, “…attention should be called to Albert Chavannes who wrote on the subject of exchange in 1884” (Knox, 1963, p. 341). Chavannes edited a magazine called The Sociologist and he wrote a section specifically for the editor in which he spoke of “…social laws, declaring: It is the mission of Sociology to demonstrate that man obeys in his conduct as fixed and unchangeable laws as the winds or rain…”(Knox, 1963, p. 342). One of these laws which he spoke of was “The Law of Exchange where he states boldly that profitable exchange is the foundation upon which men have built society” (Knox, 1963, p. 342).
Theorist’s background. George C. Homans was born August 11, 1910 in Boston, Massachusetts and attended Harvard University as an English major (Trevino, 2009, p. 1). “He became a junior fellow in sociology in 1934; was invited to become a professor of sociology in 1939…” (Trevino, 2009, p. 1). While not formally trained as a sociologist he became friends with several of the professors while a junior fellow.