Relationships: Rusbult's Investment Model

Question 1

What is the investment model?

Answer 1

Is an extension of SET as it claims that individuals stay together because they develop a strong commitment to the relationship as a result of 3 factors.

Question 2

What are the 3 factors that affect commitment levels?

Answer 2

• Satisfaction Level
• Quality of Alternatives
• Investment Size

Question 3

What does the Investment Model suggest about the maintenance of a relationship?

Answer 3

Suggests the maintenance of a relationship is determined off of commitment.

Question 4

What can commitment in a relationship be strengthened by?

Answer 4

• Satisfaction

- Investment

Question 5

What can commitment be weakened by?

Answer 5

The presence of alternatives to the relationship

Question 6

What other theory is the investment theory similar to?

Answer 6

SET - both economic theories

Question 7

What is questioned in terms of satisfaction level?

Answer 7

Do the positives of relationship outweigh the negatives?

Question 8

What is questioned in terms of quality of alternatives?

Answer 8

Is there an alternative relationship that’s better than the current one?

Question 9

What is questioned in terms of investment size?

Answer 9

How much of my investment in the relationship would I lose if it ended?

Question 10

What studies supports the investment model?

Answer 10

• Rusbult (1983)
• Rusbult (1998)
• Le and Agnew (2003)

Question 11

What was the aim and procedure of Rusbults study?

Answer 11

To test the investment model of relationships.

-Asked college students to complete questionnaire over 7 months (focusing on commitment level and 3 factors)

Question 12

What were the findings of Rusbult (1983) study?

Answer 12

• High satisfaction + investment were important in committed relationships.
• Low satisfaction, investment and high CLA important for break-up.

Question 13

Describe the Le and Agnew study?

Answer 13

• Over 11,000 participants
• Meta-analysis of 52 studies found support for investment model across many cultures.
• Good sample size, cultural validity, shows universality of model.

Question 14

Describe the Rusbult (1998) model?

Answer 14

Found support for model in both heterosexual and homosexual couples.
-Increases population validity.

Question 15

AO3 for Investment Model?

Answer 15

• Supported by studies (Le and Agnew + Rusbult)
• Good temporal validity
• Good cultural validity

Question 16

AO3 against Investment Model?

Answer 16

• Majority of research for model is correlational, no cause + effect established.
• Use of self-report techniques (socially desirable answers + reducing validity of studies)