The things you do for me reading

Question 1

Study 1

Answer 1

○ Purpose: to provide evidence that increased partner investment leads to greater commitment
○ Methods:
§ participants were asked to fill out a satisfaction subscale from an investment scale, then were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (partner investment, own investment, or control)
§ Partner investment was to think of a time where partner invested something into the relationship that was meaningful or important
§ Then participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire about their relationships, which included gratitude, trust, indebtedness and commitment items
○ Results:
§ participants who recalled a partner’s investments felt more committed to the relationship compared to own investment and control conditions
Gratitude and trust significantly mediated the effects of partner investments on relationship commitment (more gratitude than trust since trust was controlled for)

Question 2

Study 2

Answer 2

• Study 2:
  ○ Purpose: 9 month longitudinal follow-up of previous study for replication in every day life
  ○ Methods:
  § Baseline questionnaire
  § Completion of online daily survey each night for 7 nights (answered questions about perceived investments by partner and feelings of gratitude and satisfaction
  § Follow up survey 9 months after baseline questionnaire
  ○ Results:
  § The more people thought that their partner was invested in the relationship in daily life, the greater increases in commitment they reported over a 9 month period
  Participants who thought their partners were heavily invested reported more grateful towards their partners, leading to increased commitment

Question 3

Study 3

Answer 3

• Study 3:
  ○ Purpose: Whether people feel more grateful for their partners in response to their partner’s romantic investments
  ○ Methods:
  § Online survey of relationship quality
  § Completion of online survey for 14 nights
  § Daily questionnaires designed to assess their daily romantic investment behaviour
  ○ Results:
  § The more frequently participants thought that their partner invested in the relationship over a 2 week period, the greater the increase in commitment they reported after 3 months
  Gratitude predicted higher commitment after 3 months