. . . the emphasis is on the ratio of rewards exchanged among actors and on how this ratio shifts or stabilizes over the course of the exchange relationship. Propositions thus focus on explaining the variables outside the actors in the broader context of the social relationship that might influence the ratio of rewards in a given social relationship. Thus, behavior is no longer the dependent variable in propositions; rather, the exchange relationship becomes the variable to be explained. The goal is to discover laws that help account for particular patterns of exchange relations (Turner 1986:292).
The concept of exchange relation formulated by Emerson (1962, 1972) first, provides a basis for studying the formation and change of social structures as enduring relations among specified actors, with the exchange relation as the structural unit for analysis. His focus on exchange relations resolves the problem of tautology, which has been one of the main criticisms of operant behavior. Second, the concepts of power, dependence, and balance in exchange relations explain the operation of complex social patterns involving an actor (as an individual or collective unit) engaged in multiple exchange relations with sets of other actors. Third, the concept shifts the study of social exchange from individual psychology to social interaction.
Actors are viewed as either individuals or collective units and the same processes in exchange relations apply to both, thus resolving the micro versus macro schism in theory development. At the collective level, there may be subgroups within the collective that do not necessarily share unanimous viewpoints on the same issue. For example, the host community may refer to local businesses, public officials, and residents who are affected by its decisions. Existing research (Murphy 1983; Pizam 1978; Thomason, Crompton and Kamp 1979) shows that perceptions of tourism impacts vary significantly among these groups. Butler and Brougham (1981) also found residents attitudes toward the social impacts of tourism varied according to some locational and personal characteristics. Therefore, a collective may not be homogeneous and it may be necessary to identify the relevant subgroups within the collective.
Antecedents of the Exchange Relation
The antecedents represent the opportunities or situations in an exchange relation. The four antecedents shown in the model (Figure 1) are adapted from Searle (1991) and viewed as opportunities perceived by at least one of the actors before the exchange forms.
Rationality of behavior refers to an actor's behavior being based upon reward seeking. Without rewards, material or psychological, an actor has no motive for engaging in exchange. In this model, rationality is assumed — that the rewards and benefits derived from exchange are valued resources; and actors who derive reward from the exchange relationship will act in a way that will tend to produce these benefits. Moreover, rationality is used in the context of "satisficine— finding a course of action that is good enough to satisfy some level of an actor's aspirations (Simons 1957, 1976), rather than maximizing behavior. Therefore, reward seeking may be suboptimal.