Relational models theory (RMT)

Relational models theory (RMT)

Relational models theory (RMT) is one of the theories written by anthropologist Alan Fiske that explain about the interpersonal relationship. Under this theory, Alan Fiske suggests that all human interactions can be described in four specific relational models that are authority ranking, market pricing, communal sharing and equality matching. Within the communal sharing division, people always feel that they have something essential, and it is shared commonly. On the other hand, those people who do not exist in communal sharing, things are incredibly different. Individuals categorized in the authority ranking association always find themselves as ordered in a legal linear chain of command from the top downwards. Under the equity matching category, people have the responsibility of keeping tracking of whether each specific individual is treated fairly and equally. In market pricing, there is the frequent use of rates or ratios by the people following various standards of due magnitude such as cost.

Different people from different cultures use a combination of these four models to plan almost every interaction from close, casual and distant relationships. These kind of rational models are always intrinsically and innate motivated. However, children do not depend on this theory but instead depend on cultural precedents and prototypes to realize on how to execute them in a cultural-specific way. Relational models theory contributes to value theory by giving a broad explanation of mental faculty, which on the other side, plays a vital role in generating the plurality of values. Through this, it indicates how individual human nature can lead to a conflicting system of values and in addition to the cognition of philosophy. Complicated models are usually realized from a computational operation that supports how parts of our mind function computationally.

Relational models theory is set in a way that it integrates the classical theory of society and relations. Through this, it serves a very critical role of connecting child development, natural selection, political and social structures, cognition, norms, neurobiology, communication, emotion, physiological disorders, religion, ideology and culture. In almost every scenario, this theory is supported the comparative and ethnographic cultural studies together with the psychological experiments by the use of various methods. Apart from Alan Page Fiske formulating the theory, it’s on record that Nick Haslam is the one who took the role of carrying out the experimental work and as a result, he was able to develop the theory in relational to social cognition and clinical psychology. Doing research using the rational model s theory, it has led to the provision of different insights in different areas of coverage, such as in the anthropological and behaviour economics, cross-cultural interaction, political psychology, attitudes toward immigration, business management among many more others.

Concerning Alan Fiske theory of equality, let’s consider some of the similar concepts of the theorist. One of the relational theories is the model theory of common sharing. In the collective division, the dyad or everyone in the group is treated in the same respect to whatever form of activity they are undertaking. Every under this category is entitled to share a living space, share some food or any responsibility that is direct towards work. If any member of the group is identified to have a problem, this is usually not a problem of one individual. Still, instead, it is taken as a problem or an issue affecting the entire group. From what they do, the outsiders treat them as collective accountability, putting any or everyone under punishment indiscriminately. In situation that is related to communal sharing, there is always a sense of identity and oneness, which is as strong as the connection between a child and a mother or couples who are in romantic love. Some of the most substantial sharing relationships in communal sharing are based on participants feelings in that their bodies are connected or almost the same since they brought together by appearance, blood, birth or other close body modification such as excision or circumcision. Through making the bodies connected or alike, the people involved create a mutual relationship and at the same time can communicate the intensity and the existence of their relationship. Communal relationship helps people to evaluate themselves through emotional and cognitive representation.

Our second relational theory is the model theory of equality matching. Equality matching as it can be described can be referred to the basis of equal rights, the decision by lottery or coin flip, turn-taking, balanced reciprocity and even sharing where the participants have to return the same kind of the share they received. In other words, this can be defined as the same share of sports or games where the opponents are required to operate under similar fair conditions. In any equality match, people or the participants are required to apply some concrete matching mechanism that will otherwise demonstrate equality. Such matching operations may include tossing a coin or lining up of the opponents one –to one. Obeying these kinds of rules always ensure that the game will operate not only fairly but also correctly. For both adults and children’s, equality matching is very sensitive, and it is always apparent that people will become upset anytime they have not as much as their peers.