Molm, Linda

Linda D. Molm (b. 1948) is an American sociologist who has examined fundamental processes within social exchange relations. After receiving her BA in 1970 from the University of North Dakota, Molm completed her doctorate in sociology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 1976. Her interest in social exchange theory first blossomed in the late 1970s. Since that time, she has engaged in three systematic research programs that have significantly increased our understanding of social exchange processes. Molm's systematic approach to the growth and testing of theory has resulted in the elaboration and proliferation of exchange theory. In particular, her theoretical contributions have focused on the power-dependence tradition within exchange theory. While each of Molm's three research programs has separately made contributions to power-dependence theory, together they constitute an impressive intellectual contribution to this tradition. Her first research program undertaken between the 1970s and 1980s examined the development, maintenance, and disruption of social exchange relations. From the 1980s to the 1990s, she examined the role and use of coercive power in exchange relations. The book that resulted from this research, Coercive Power in Social Exchange (1997), was recognized with the 1998 Theory Prize. Finally, her most recent research program has begun the process of comparing reciprocal and negotiated forms of social exchange.

Molm's three research programs on exchange theory have shared several common features. Perhaps one of the most important features distinguishing her research programs from other exchange traditions has been her focus [Page 512]on reciprocal exchange relations. Several classical social exchange theorists, including Homans and Blau, developed their theories around a conception of social exchange as a reciprocal exchange. Molm's research stands apart from the work of other contemporary exchange researchers in its focus on the reciprocal form of exchange. In addition, her research has examined not only issues of power in social relations but also other fundamental issues of concern to the classical theorists such as risk, trust, and fairness (Molm, Takahashi, and Peterson 2000). While many other exchange researchers have maintained their focus on issues of power in social exchange, Molm's research has dealt with a wider array of topics of concern in social exchange. This broader focus has expanded the potential scope of social life to which exchange theory can be applied and exemplifies yet another contribution of Molm's work.

While the overarching contributions of Molm's three research programs are significant, additional consideration must also be given to the individual contributions of each research program. Her first research program began in the late 1970s by examining the development of social exchange relations over time and under differing structural conditions. This research program progressed to study the maintenance and disruption of exchange relations. The systematic nature of Molm's theoretical development is evidenced by her initial emphasis on dyadic exchange relations. Her later research programs expand on the structures of exchange relations analyzed. Results from several studies demonstrated the inherent fragility of reciprocal exchange relations. Additionally, she found that changes in reward structure produce very different effects than the same structures in the absence of change.

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