Theories of Relationships - INVESTEMENT THEORY Flashcards
Who ?
Rusbult (83)
Rusbults investment model
Suggests that maintenance of a relationship is determined by commitment (feelings).
in this context, commitment refers to the likelyhood that the relationship with persist.
An economic theory (like SET & ET)
Investment model considers 3 factors
- Satisfaction levels
- Comparison with alternatives
- Investment size
Satisfaction
(as a factor strengthening commitment)
- Occurs when each partner sees large profits
- And when there are few plausible or profitable alternatives in which they can invest their resources.
Comparison levels
(as a factor weakening commitment)
- If one partner feels their profits decreasing (or costs increasing) then they will start looking for alternatives –> another relationship / no relationship.
Attractive alternative = may leave the relationship / feel less commited.
No alternative exists = they may maintain the relationship (increase commitment).
However, sometimes having no relationship is more attractive than being in an unsatisfactory one.
Investment size
(as a factor strengthening commitment)
- Anything a person puts into a relationship that will be lost if the leave it.
- Can be…
~ Financial (e.g. house)
~ Temporal (e.g. time spent together)
~ Emotional (e.g. welfare of kids) - The size of investment dictates how hard each partner will work to salvage their relationship.
- From an economic viewpoint, this commitment is almost selfish as it is carried out purely not to lose the investment.
- Mechanisms that facilitate commitment:
~ Ridiculing alternatives
~ Positive illusions
~ Forgiveness
~ Willingness to sacrifice
~ Accommodation
Intrinsic Investment
Any resources we put directly into the relationship. Tangible and intangible.
Extrinsic Investment
Resources that previously did not feature in a relationship beforehand.
Tangible and intangible.
Committed partners will…
- Put their partners interests first (WILLINGNESS TO SACRIFICE)
- Negative about tempting people and other peoples relationships (RIDICULING ATLERNATIVES)
- Be unrealistically positive about their partner to their face and to others (POSITIVE ILLUSION)
- Will forgive them.
What are relationship maintenance mechanisms?
- Tit for tat, but accommodate/promote relationships, and forgive serious transgressions.
- Cog element to relationships, be unrealistically positive about partners and negative about alt/other relationships.
What are 3 evaluation points for Rusbult’s investment theory?
+ Explains abusive relationships
+ Supporting evidence
- Oversimplifies investment
AO3 - Supporting Evidence
P - there is supporting evid for Rusbult’s theory
E - Agnew et al, metanalysis of over 10k ppts across 5 countries, found satisfaction + investment + commitment = stable relationships
E - all outcomes were true for men and women across all cultures, and homosexual couples
L - inc generalisability, cultural validity and population validity
C - 5 countries, could be westernized relationships e.g. not relationships in tribes or collectivist countries
AO3 - Explaining Abusive Relationships
P - valid and useful way of explaining IPV.
E - key factor of relationships isn’t satisfaction.
E- Rusbult and Martz found women were more likely to return to abusive relationship if they felt they made large investment and had no appealing alts.
L - inc PA / EV as we can apply it to real relationships.
AO3 - Oversimplifies Investment
P - Rusbult’s model views investment in a simplistic, one-dimensional way.
E - Goodfriend + Agnew explain there is more to Inv than just resources you have put in - few investment are present at start of relationship.
E - this means people stay in relationships because of motivation by future plans e.g. baby names, holidays, extended Rusbult’s og model - making them feel more committed than they actually are.
L - original model is limited explanation for romantic relationships, decrease IV.
