Reciprocity in Couples and Families

Name of Concept

Reciprocity in couples and families.

Synonyms

Cooperation; Give-and-take; Mutuality; Quid pro quo

Introduction

Reciprocity reflects couple and family interactional patterns of recursiveness and complementarity. Reciprocity is a systemic pattern that allows us to see people and events in the context of mutual interaction and mutual influence (Becvar and Becvar 2013). Reciprocity in couples and families is a concept describing individuals’ decision-making processes about their behavior towards and between each other. The underlying assumption of reciprocity is that the parts of the system, depending on the relationship, roles, rules, structure, and organization of the system, will engage with one another in accordance with expectations of mutuality, fairness, and give-and-take.

Theoretical Context for Concept

While conceptual understanding of reciprocity can be found in the fields of behaviorism, law, economics, and business ethics, Contextual Family Therapy, Structural...