Abstract: Both lovers and psychologists are interested in how people give and take is good for their personal and relationship well-being in romantic relationships. Based on early classic theories such as social exchange and interdependence theory, give and take among romantic partners can be defined as romantic exchange, and a substantial number of studies have been conducted to explore its basic psychological processes. In recent years, psychologists proposed a new theory to explain the complicated psychological mechanisms of romantic exchange and this theory was supported by empirical research. All these theories and research findings provide strong evidences for us to understand the underlying principles, characteristics and influential factors of romantic exchange. Future studies can pay more attention to the role of emotion and the automatic and controlled process in romantic exchange.

Key words: romantic relationship, psychological equity, social exchange, interdependence theory, mutual responsiveness