A condition where benefits received are proportional to what one provides is known as?

• A. Social Exchange Theory
• B. Equity
• C. Reciprocity Norm
• D. Self-Disclosure

Answer: (B)

Equity means outcomes are proportional to inputs. In this idea, fairness is judged by the ratio of what you receive to what you contribute, and people expect that ratio to be similar across similar others. When your benefits grow in line with your contributions, you feel treated fairly; if you contribute more but don’t receive a proportional boost, you feel underbenefited and may seek to restore balance. This concept captures why the described condition fits equity: the rewards match what you put in, maintaining a fair relationship between effort and payoff. Other options describe different ideas—Social Exchange Theory focuses on rewards and costs over time in relationships, the Reciprocity Norm is about returning favors, and Self-Disclosure is about sharing personal information—but none centered on proportional fairness of outcomes to inputs like equity does.