the investment model of relationships

Question 1

define the investment model

Answer 1

an explanation of relationship stability that emphasises the importance of three factors in determining relationship commitment which in turn predicts relationship stability

Question 2

according to the investment model of relationships what factors affect the stability of a relationship

Answer 2

1) satisfaction level
2) quality of alternatives
3) investment size

Question 3

outline what is meant by satisfaction level

Answer 3

refers to the positive vs negative emotions experienced within relationships and is influenced by the extent the other person fulfils the individuals most important needs

Question 4

outline what is meant by investment size

Answer 4

a measure of all the resources which are attached to the relationship which would diminish or be lost if the relationship ended.
partners make these investments with the expectations it will create a strong foundation for a lasting future.
they increase the dependence on a relationship as they increase connections and as a result create a powerful psychological inducement to persist in a relationship

Question 5

outline quality of alternatives

Answer 5

the extent to which an individuals most important needs might be better filled outside the current relationship
if alternatives are better it may lead to the person leaving the current relationship, if they are worse, the person may persist in current relationship due to lack of better options
in some cases no relationship is more attractive than staying

Question 6

define commitment

Answer 6

the likelihood that an individual persists with a relationship as a product of high satisfaction and investment with a low quality of alternatives

commitment is the consequence of increasing dependence

Question 7

outline commitment level

Answer 7

individuals with a high commitment level= low quality of alternatives, high levels of investment and high levels of satisfaction

low commitment= low investment, low satisfaction and high quality of alternatives

Question 8

evaluate the investment model of relationships

Answer 8

1) research support - research found that satisfaction, comparison with alternatives and investment greatly contributed to commitment, a meta analysis of 52 studies explored different components of the investment model and the relationship between them= found high correlations
2) issue and debate=
3) research methods= majority of research is correlational so researchers unable to conclude investment causes commitment in relationships. This limits the predictive validity of the model as it would fail to predict which types of investment and how much investment will lead to long-term commitment to a relationship- also relies on self report methods increasing social desirability bias in results
4) real world application- able to explain why individuals may persist in a relationship with an abusive partner- victims of abuse experience low satisfaction which suggest they would leave yet many stay. highlights features of relationship that explain this- supported by Rustbelt who showed alternatives and investments were a strong indication of whether battered women at a shelter remained committed or returned to partner