Doctoral Dissertation Research: The Perception of Fairness in Social Exchange: A Comparison of Negatively and Positively Connected Networks

关于社会交换环境中的正义感的研究集中在消极联系的网络上，即，一个行动者的一种关系中的交换必然导致其他关系中的交换减少或不交换。在积极的交换中，一个行动者关系中的交换意味着一个或多个其他关系中的交换。这篇博士论文的研究通过比较负连接和正连接网络中的公平评价，扩展了分配公平理论的范围。与正义理论相关的一个关键区别是，在负连接的网络中，行为者往往必须相互竞争以获得有价值的交换，而在正连接的网络中，情况并非如此。这一根本性差异预计将导致对公平的看法不同。此外，本研究建议通过调查两种类型的网络中使用惩罚来检查对不公正的行为反应。研究设计为2 × 2 × 2析因实验，因素为网络联系（积极或消极）、权力基础（仅奖励或奖励和惩罚）和平等（平等或不平等）。为了确保对操纵变量的控制，受试者将与计算机模拟的合作伙伴在3演员网络。这个研究项目的意义在于将正义文献扩展到正连接网络。此外，本论文提出了一个预期的研究计划，研究负连接和正连接的交换网络之间的差异的第一个研究。

Research on perceptions of justice in social exchange settings has focused on negatively connected networks, i.e., exchange in one of an actor's relationships entails diminished or non-exchange in others. In positive exchanges, exchange in one of an actor's relationships implies exchange in one or more others. This doctoral dissertation research expands the scope of distributive justice theory by comparing justice evaluations in negatively connected and positively connected networks. A key distinction relevant to justice theory is that in negatively connected networks actors often must compete with one another for valued exchanges, whereas this is not the case in positively connected networks. This fundamental difference is expected to lead to differences in perceptions of fairness. In addition, this study proposes to examine behavioral reactions to injustice by investigating the use of punishment in both types of networks. The research design involves a 2x2x2 factorial experiment with the factors being network connection (positive or negative), base of power (reward only or reward and punishment), and equality (equal or unequal). In order to insure control over manipulated variables, subjects will interact with computer simulated partners in 3-actor networks. The significance of this research project lies in the extension of the justice literature to incorporate positively connected networks. Furthermore, this dissertation presents the first study of an anticipated research program examining differences between negatively connected and positively connected exchange networks.