David Letterman confessed that he had sex with the female staff who work on his show. The Social Exchange Theory can help explain why he confessed the way he did concerning this issue. According to our text, “we make decisions about and engage in behaviors we expect to be rewarding” (pg. 378). The Social Exchange Theory, in short, explains and predicts. Furthermore, it explains why people tend to maximize their rewards and minimize their costs. For Letterman, he decided to confess this way because he knew if he didn’t, it would lead to a greater conflict. He wanted to protect his image. It is further noted in our text that often, it is in our best interests to cooperate so both sides are receive equal rewards as if it were an exchange. This
