A critique and integration of the major social psychological approaches to the study of coalition formation
This paper integrates more closely the personality trait approaches and the structural approach to coalition formation. It is intended to stimulate inquiry and provide some major methodological critiques. The paper begins with a historical description of the area, addressed mainly to the sociologist of science. It contains a section on learning and cumula tive score. There is a critique of the sex and machiavell ianism studies, which concludes with theoretical speculation merging these two approaches. The merits of the competing utilitarian theories are examined and bases of the super iority of Gamson's exchange theory are posited. A brief summary of coalition theory is presented. Finally, the major previously stated restrictions on the application of coalition theory are criticized, and a broader range of application is set forth.