Rusbult, 2001 - The Investment Model of Relationships

Question 1

3 factors that affect commitment in relationships

Answer 1

• satisfaction
• comparison with alternatives
• investment

Question 2

satisfaction - factor that affect commitment in relationships

Answer 2

If I’m happy, and getting enough from the relationship, I’ll stay. I compare my current partner to previous partners and social norms

Question 3

comparison with alternatives - factor that affect commitment in relationships

Answer 3

if someone better comes along I may choose to end my current relationship. Alternatively being single may be less stressful!

Question 4

investment - factor that affect commitment in relationships

Answer 4

• Rusbult identified that the first two factors are not enough to explain why people stay in an abusive relationship. - She identified this crucial third factor.
• INVESTMENT is anything that would be LOST if the relationship were to end.
• Rusbult identified two TYPES of investment

Question 5

two types of investment

Answer 5

• INTRINSIC INVESTMENTS- anything we directly put into a relationships- time, money, energy, emotion, self-disclosure
• EXTRINSIC INVESTMENT- anything we gained (together) during the relationship- children, a house, shared friends, pets, shared memories

Question 6

5 ways a committed relationships can be seen

Answer 6

• Rusbult believes that it is not as simple as SATISFACTION causing people to stay in relationships- it is COMMITMENT which is effected by all three of those factors addressed above- satisfaction, alternatives and investment.
• According to Rusbult, commitment in a relationship can be seen in five ways:

1. ‘Accomodation’- partners look after or ‘accommodate’ each other
2. ‘Willingness to sacrifice’- they put their partner’s needs first
3. ‘Forgiveness’- they forgive fairly easily
4. ‘Positive Illusions’- they are unrealistically positive about their partner
   ‘5. Ridiculing alternatives’- they comment negatively about other people and other people’s relationship

Question 7

+ve AO3 points: The Investment Model of Relationships - Rusbult, 2001

Answer 7

• Rusbult’s research support
• meta-analysis by Le and Agnew
• SEXUALITY Differences
• Rusbult and Martz

Question 8

expand on the +ve AO3 point: Rusbult’s research support

Answer 8

• The investment model has been supported by numerous studies.
• Rusbult tested her model by asking college students in heterosexual relationships to complete questionnaires over a seven months.
• They kept notes about how satisfactory their relationships were, how they compared with possible alternatives and how much they had invested in it. Students also noted how committed they felt to the relationship.
• Results showed that satisfaction, comparison, and investment all contributed to commitment and to breakup.
• High satisfaction and investment are important in committed relationships.
• The existence of a desirable alternative is influential in deciding to end a relationship

Question 9

expand on the +ve AO3 point: meta-analysis by Le and Agnew

Answer 9

• A meta-analysis by Le and Agnew (2003) of 52 studies and over 11,000 participants was carried out. Studies were included from five countries.
• Total support was sought for this theory. Satisfaction, alternatives and investment all predicted commitment, and the greater the commitment, the longer the relationship lasted.

Question 10

expand on the +ve AO3 point: SEXUALITY Differences

Answer 10

• This was an excellent study because it also looked at SEXUALITY DIFFERENCES in maintenance of relationships. This is rare in this field of research. → because its more modern and was conducted more recently
• Results showed that for all people, satisfaction was the most important factor effecting commitment. For gay men, investment was less important, and for lesbians quality of alternatives was more important.

Question 11

expand on the +ve AO3 point: Rusbult and Martz

Answer 11

• Even further support(!) – Commitment in abusive relationships: +ve
• Rusbult and Martz applied this model to abusive relationships. They asked women living in refuges why they had stayed with partners rather than leaving as soon as the abuse began.
• As predicted by Rusbult’s model, women stayed in the relationship despite the abuse because their economic alternatives were poor and when their investment was great.
• So this theory can even explain maintenance of extremely abusive and damaging relationships.

Question 12

-ve AO3 point for the Investment Model of Relationships - Rusbult, 2001

Answer 12

• Over-Simplified
• Psychologists have pointed out that Rusbult’s model oversimplifies the concept of investment by focusing purely on resources put in or acquired.
• Goodfriend and Agnew (2008) point out that we invest in the FUTURE with a partner- we make plans, we have a clear idea of what we are aiming for and what is going to happen as a result of this relationship.
• The value of this type of investment is not recognised by Rusbult.