Relationships: Invesment Model

Question 1

Investment model of relationships - rusbult

Answer 1

Suggests that the maintenance of a relationship is determined by commitment.
• In this context commitment refers to the likelihood that the relationship will persist.
• Commitment can be strengthened by:
- Satisfaction
- Investment
ommitment is weakened by:
- Presence of alternatives to the relationship

Question 2

Satisfaction in economic theory

Answer 2

Outcome of current relationship (Rewards - Costs), if it surpasses Comparison Level

Question 3

Types of investment

Answer 3

Intrinsic
Extrinsic

Question 4

Instrinsic investment

Answer 4

Resources we put directly into relationship
Time or personal info eg self disclosure

Question 5

Extrinsic investment

Answer 5

Shared things that may be lost
Shared pet network of friends children

Question 6

Quality of alternatives

Answer 6

Attractive alternative - they may leave relationship
No alternative exists - they may maintain the relationship which increases satisfaction
However sometimes having no relationship is a more attractive alternative than being in an unsatisfactory one

Question 7

Explain why Christy continues relationship - feels she is trapped in an unhappy relations.
the one who does everything around the house. Her needs always
come second. She remembers being treated much better in her previous relationships. On the other hand, at least she has somewhere to live, and really hates the idea of being on her own. Plus she has put a lot into relationchip. She came into it with a lot of stuff, including the house, id she still remembers the good times she and her partner used to have.

Answer 7

Doesn’t have same extent of extrinsic investment w alternative
She doesn’t want to be alone so stays in an unsatisfactory relationship
Has put in a lot of extrinsic investment eg house
Also has intrinsic investments eg their shared memories of the good times
Things leading to lower satisfaction - intrinsic investments - does everything around the house and high quality of alternative

Question 8

Relationship maintence mechanism models

Answer 8

Commitment expresses itself in everyday maintenance behaviours. According to the model, enduring partners do not engage in tit-for-tat retaliation but instead promote the relationship (accommodation). They also put their partner’s interests first (willingnes to sacrifice), and forgive them for serious transgressions (forgiveness), There is also a cognitive element to relationship maintenance and repair. Committed partners think about each other and potential alternatives in specific (and predictable) ways. They are unrealistically positive about their partner (positive illusions, and negative about tempting alternatives and other people’s relationships (ridiculing alternatives), much more so than less committed partners.

Question 9

Rusbults investment model

Answer 9

Satisfaction
Comparison with alternatives
Investment
Commitment level
Relationship mechanisms
- accomodation
- willingness to sacrifice
- forgiveness
- positive illusions
- ridiculing alternatives

Question 10

Rusbult 1983 aim

Answer 10

She wanted to test her investment model of relationships

Question 11

Rusbult procedure

Answer 11

Asked college students (heterosexual) to
complete a questionnaire over a 7 month
period
• Students kept notes on the following:
• Relationship satisfaction
• Quality of alternatives
Investment
Commitment level

Question 12

Rusbult findings

Answer 12

Satisfaction comparison and investments each contributed to commitment and to break up
High satisfaction and investment seem to be important in committed relationships, the existence of an attractive alternative appears to be a large feature in deciding to end a relationship

Answer 13

Satisfaction comparison and investments each contributed to commitment and to break up
High satisfaction and investment seem to be important in committed relationships, the existence of an attractive alternative appears to be a large feature in deciding to end a relationship

Question 14

Rusbult conclusion

Answer 14

Her investment theory is reliable - consistent with everyday relationships and factors that cause relationships to be ended - high ecological validly

Question 15

Rusbult evaluation - demand characteristics

Answer 15

P; rusbults study used questionnaires - self report method which is open to bias and social desirability
E: Rusbult et al (1998) developed the
‘investment model scale’ as it became difficult to
measure commitment and the other variables that
led to commitment. This scale does however rely on
self-report methods
E: whilst a scale gives the theory a mathematical aspect whereby data can be analysed quickly giving scientific credibility, but data from questionnaires may not be fully transparent as ppt want to make themselves look good in terms of the relationships to the researcher - soc des bias and less valid
L: however there aren’t any other tangible methods of assessing commitment so it could be argued that using a combo of self report methods that give data thats mathematical is the most suitable way to

Question 16

Le and Agnew aim 2003

Answer 16

To conduct a meta-analysis of 52 studies and over
11,000 participants to find out whetherresearch
supports the investment model

Question 17

Le and Agnew procedure