Asymmetric Reciprocity in Exchange: The Roles of Expectations, Actual Costs and Benefits, and Solicited Help

Abstract

The dynamics of helping behavior and reciprocity have long fascinated scholars in management and psychology. However, existing research often overlooks how mismatches between helpers' and recipients' perspectives influence their behaviors. This dissertation addresses this gap by exploring the asymmetry between recipients' actual reciprocation and helpers' expectations, offering a dual perspective that enriches the discourse on reciprocity.

Specifically, drawing on theoretical frameworks from expectation theory, social exchange theory, and the psychology of helping behavior, my dissertation investigates how the interplay of expectations—regarding the costs and benefits of favors, the actual costs and benefits incurred, and whether assistance was solicited—shapes recipients’ reciprocal behavior and helpers’ expectations about the other party’s reciprocation. Eight hypotheses are proposed, with four stemming from the recipient's perspective and four from that of the helper. First, I hypothesize that alignment between expected and actual benefits and costs will positively influence both recipients' actual reciprocity and helpers' expectations of reciprocity. Furthermore, I predict that actual benefits and costs, as well as whether the help was solicited, will moderate these relationships. Finally, I propose a three-way interaction among these factors—alignment, benefit/cost magnitude, and solicitation status—that jointly shapes both recipients’ actual reciprocity and helpers’ expectations.

The hypotheses were tested through four complementary empirical studies. Studies 1 and 3 utilized online scenario-based experimental designs, engaging participants from Western cultural contexts—help recipients in Study 1 and help providers in Study 3. The results from these studies supported all eight hypotheses. To enhance generalizability, Studies 2 and 4 employed field surveys in four tertiary hospitals in mainland China, prompting participants to recall workplace incidents involving help. The results from these studies supported most hypotheses (1 to 3 and 5 to 7). Notably, the two three-way interaction hypotheses (H4 and H8) were not supported, inviting further exploration of these dynamics.

By integrating the dual perspectives of helpers and recipients and emphasizing the role of expectations in helping interactions, this dissertation contributes a nuanced theoretical framework to the study of helping and reciprocity. The findings offer valuable insights for both scholars and management practitioners seeking to cultivate more effective collaborative environments and enhance organizational support systems.

Date of Award	4 Sept 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	City University of Hong Kong
Supervisor	Long WANG (Supervisor)