R7. ToRR: Rusbult’s Investment Model Flashcards
1
Q
Rusbult’s Investment Model
A
- commitment and investment more important that satisfaction in determining success
- ## satisfaction = partners see large profits, and fewer plausible alternatives
2
Q
3 factors determining commitment level
A
- satisfaction levels
- comparison with alternatives
- investment size
3
Q
Role of CLs in model
A
- people look for alternatives if they feel ‘profit’ is decreasing as relationship continues (e.g. partner is untidy, abusive or cheating).
4
Q
Intrinsic investment
A
- resources that have added to the relationship (e.g. money, time, opportunity)
5
Q
Extrinsic Investment
A
- ‘resources’ that have resulted from the relationship (e.g. shared mortgage, children, etc)
6
Q
Investment Dilemma
A
- couples may stay together due to heavy investment, despite better alternatives
- size of investment dictates how hard each partner will work to salvage relationship
- selfish, carried out solely not to lose investment
7
Q
Mechanisms to facilitate commitment
A
- ridiculing alternatives
- positive illusions
- forgiveness
- willingness to sacrifice
- accommodation
8
Q
+ Eval: Ecological validity
A
- HIGH, can explain abusive relationships; battered women ‘return’ to partners due to size of investment, and lack of alternative partners - rather than satisfaction
- BETTER, more valid explanation for abusive relationships than SET or Equity Theory
9
Q
+ Eval: Self-report
A
- SR is valuable in Rusbult’s theory, as CLs are based upon a personal perception for investments
- qualitative data
- valuable as people’s perceptions of investments differ
- therefore can explain breakdown
10
Q
- Eval: restricted view
A
- sees only motivation to continue as the investments, time, and energy an individual has contributed
- other factors such as foreseen future success, instead of just initial investment
- oversimplified concept of investment and its future implications
