Two Decades of Affection Exchange Theory: A State-of-the-art Review

Since its formal explication in 2001, affection exchange theory (AET) has been the principal theoretical force behind research on affectionate communication. After presenting a brief history of the theory, the present paper offers a state-of-the-art review of published and unpublished empirical work testing AET's claims. The review identified a total of 135 empirical projects conducted between 2001 and 2024 involving a combined total of 54,784 human participants. Each empirical paper had to use AET explicitly, involve human subjects, report original data analyses, and be written in English. Themes and characteristics of the empirical work are identified, including a focus on physical and mental health, the origins of affectionate communication, and relationship differences in affectionate behavior. The evidentiary basis for the theory is also adjudicated, and then a theoretical critique focused on strengths and shortcomings is offered.