Relationships- Theories of romantic relationships: Rusbult's investment model Flashcards
Commitment -
A romantic partner’s intention or desire to continue a relationship, reflecting a belief that the relationship has a viable long-term future.
Satisfaction -
The extent to which romantic partners feel the rewards of the relationship exceed the costs.
Comparison with alternatives -
A judgement that partners make concerning whether a relationship with a different partner would bring more rewards and fewer costs.
Investment -
The resources associated with a romantic relationship which the partners would lose if the relationship were to end.
What is Rusbult’s investment model?
Rusbult’s investment model explains that commitment in a relationship depends on three factors: satisfaction, comparison with alternatives, and investment size. It is a development of social exchange theory (SET).
What are the three factors that influence commitment in Rusbult’s investment model?
The three factors are satisfaction, comparison with alternatives, and investment size.
How is satisfaction defined in the investment model?
Satisfaction is based on the comparison level (CL), where a relationship is judged as profitable if it has many rewards (e.g., support, companionship) and few costs (e.g., conflicts, anxiety). Partners are satisfied if they get more out of the relationship than they expect based on previous experience and social norms.
What is the role of comparison with alternatives in the investment model?
Comparison with alternatives (CLalt) involves partners asking whether their needs could be better met outside the current relationship. Alternatives include other relationships or the possibility of having no romantic relationship at all.
Why did Rusbult introduce the concept of investment into the model?
Rusbult introduced investment because satisfaction and comparison with alternatives alone were insufficient to explain commitment. Investment refers to the resources associated with the relationship that would be lost if the relationship ended.
What are the two types of investments in the investment model?
The two types are intrinsic investments (resources put directly into the relationship, such as money, energy, or emotions) and extrinsic investments (resources associated with the relationship but not originally part of it, such as shared possessions, mutual friends, or shared memories).
How does investment size influence commitment?
If partners experience high satisfaction, find alternatives less attractive, and have increasing investment sizes, they are more likely to remain committed to the relationship.
What is the difference between satisfaction and commitment in the investment model?
Satisfaction refers to the rewards and costs of the relationship, while commitment is the psychological factor that keeps partners in the relationship, even if they are dissatisfied, due to the investments they have made.
What are relationship maintenance mechanisms in the investment model?
Maintenance mechanisms include behaviors like accommodation (avoiding retaliation), willingness to sacrifice, forgiveness, and cognitive strategies like positive illusions about the partner and ridiculing alternatives.
What did Benjamin Le and Christopher Agnew (2003) find in their meta-analysis of the investment model?
They found that satisfaction, comparison with alternatives, and investment size all predicted relationship commitment. Relationships with the greatest commitment were the most stable and lasted longest, across genders, cultures, and sexual orientations.
How does the investment model explain abusive relationships?
The model explains that victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) may stay in abusive relationships due to high investment and few attractive alternatives, even if they are not satisfied.
What did Caryl Rusbult and John Martz (1995) find in their study of battered women?
They found that women most likely to return to abusive partners reported the greatest investment and the fewest attractive alternatives, highlighting the role of commitment over satisfaction.
What criticism did Wind Goodfriend and Christopher Agnew (2008) raise about the investment model?
They argued that the model oversimplifies investment by not considering future plans. Early in relationships, partners may commit due to shared future goals, not just past investments.
What is a methodological strength of the investment model?
The model relies on self-report measures, which are appropriate because it is the partners’ perceptions of factors like investment and alternatives that influence commitment, not objective reality.
What is a limitation of the investment model based on correlational research?
While strong correlations exist between factors like investment and commitment, correlational studies cannot establish causation. It is unclear whether investment causes commitment or if commitment leads to greater investment.
How does the investment model address cultural and gender differences?
Research, such as the meta-analysis by Le and Agnew (2003), shows that the model applies across genders, cultures, and sexual orientations, suggesting its factors are universally important.
What is the role of future plans in Goodfriend and Agnew’s extension of the investment model?
They argue that partners may commit to a relationship due to shared future plans, not just past investments, adding complexity to the original model.
Why did Rusbult introduce the concept of investment into the model?
Rusbult introduced investment because satisfaction and comparison with alternatives alone were insufficient to explain commitment. Investment refers to the resources associated with the relationship that would be lost if the relationship ended.
What is the role of comparison with alternatives in the investment model?
Comparison with alternatives (CLalt) involves partners asking whether their needs could be better met outside the current relationship. Alternatives include other relationships or the possibility of having no romantic relationship at all.
What are the two types of investments in the investment model?
The two types are intrinsic investments (resources put directly into the relationship, such as money, energy, or emotions) and extrinsic investments (resources associated with the relationship but not originally part of it, such as shared possessions, mutual friends, or shared memories).
How does investment size influence commitment?
If partners experience high satisfaction, find alternatives less attractive, and have increasing investment sizes, they are more likely to remain committed to the relationship.
What is the difference between satisfaction and commitment in the investment model?
Satisfaction refers to the rewards and costs of the relationship, while commitment is the psychological factor that keeps partners in the relationship, even if they are dissatisfied, due to the investments they have made.
What are relationship maintenance mechanisms in the investment model?
Maintenance mechanisms include behaviors like accommodation (avoiding retaliation), willingness to sacrifice, forgiveness, and cognitive strategies like positive illusions about the partner and ridiculing alternatives.
What did Benjamin Le and Christopher Agnew (2003) find in their meta-analysis of the investment model?
They found that satisfaction, comparison with alternatives, and investment size all predicted relationship commitment. Relationships with the greatest commitment were the most stable and lasted longest, across genders, cultures, and sexual orientations.
How does the investment model explain abusive relationships?
The model explains that victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) may stay in abusive relationships due to high investment and few attractive alternatives, even if they are not satisfied.
What did Caryl Rusbult and John Martz (1995) find in their study of battered women?
They found that women most likely to return to abusive partners reported the greatest investment and the fewest attractive alternatives, highlighting the role of commitment over satisfaction.
What criticism did Wind Goodfriend and Christopher Agnew (2008) raise about the investment model?
They argued that the model oversimplifies investment by not considering future plans. Early in relationships, partners may commit due to shared future goals, not just past investments.
What is a methodological strength of the investment model?
The model relies on self-report measures, which are appropriate because it is the partners’ perceptions of factors like investment and alternatives that influence commitment, not objective reality.
What is a limitation of the investment model based on correlational research?
While strong correlations exist between factors like investment and commitment, correlational studies cannot establish causation. It is unclear whether investment causes commitment or if commitment leads to greater investment.
How does the investment model address cultural and gender differences?
Research, such as the meta-analysis by Le and Agnew (2003), shows that the model applies across genders, cultures, and sexual orientations, suggesting its factors are universally important.
What is the role of future plans in Goodfriend and Agnew’s extension of the investment model?
They argue that partners may commit to a relationship due to shared future plans, not just past investments, adding complexity to the original model.
