Relational Models Theory

A theory that suggests that social cognition is structured by 4 elementary mental schemata dubbed the relational models. They are:

1. Communal Sharing (CS) - Members of a group are treated as equivalent and undifferentiated.
2. Authority Ranking (AR) - People/groups are arranged in a linear hierarchy where situations are favourable for those higher in the hierarchy.
3. Equality Matching (EM) - Relationships involving even-balance or one-to-one correspondence, alongside what to do when such a balance is lost.
4. Market Pricing (MP) - Relationships structured by ratios or rates such as prices, wages, cost-benefit analyses. The free market is an implementation of this, however it is not unique, for e.g. those without competition, money, individualism or self-interest.