INVESTMENT THEORY Flashcards
(16 cards)
What is the investment model? (RUSBULT)
Development of Social Exchange Theory:
Many couples stay together despite the costs outweighing the rewards, so there must be other factors keeping them together.
3 major factors that leads to commitment in relationships:
Satisfaction level
Comparison with alternatives
Investment size
2 ways of looking at commitment:
Intention (long term future together) and dependance
Why will they stay in a relationship if there are more costs?
They see their investments going to waste by breaking up, this means that a couple will attempt to work through their’ rough patch’ given the commitment they have.
Satisfaction level:
Higher satisfaction = more rewards (companionship, attention) and fewer costs (arguments and time)
how do we measure satisfaction
A partner must balance the perceived positivity against any negativity. Eg; equal domestic task sharing divisions in the house.
comparison with alternatives
A judgement that is made concerning whether own to they could receive greater satisfaction by terminating the current partnership.
Investment (most important factor)
Refers to the number of resources, TANGIBLE AND INTANGIBLE, like money and memories… that people will lose if they leave the relationship.
The bigger the investment, the more likely people are to stay.
Investment SIZE.
What are the 2 types of investments?
Intrinsic and extrinsic:
What is intrinsic
Things partners put direct;y INTO the relationship such as effort, money.
Extrinsic
Things that are brought to people’s life through the relationship such as children, friends and shared memories.
LE AND AGNEW - investigated Rusbult’s Investment Model of Relationships AIM:
Meta analysis
11,582 participants 1970-1990s.
Data from 5 countries
54% males and 46% females.
Results of Le and Agnew
Satisfaction, comparison and investment all correlated to commitment.
Strongest correlation coefficient of +0.68 satisfaction and commitment.
Investment size and commitment (+0.46).
The results indicate support for Rusbult’s Investment Theory model of romantic relationships
with individuals showing the highest level of commitment to a partnership choosing to remain in the relationship.
On the other hand, partners with lower levels of commitment were more likely to leave.
Evaluation of Le and Agnew: LIMITATION
Shows correlation, not causation.
Doesn’t explain how lack of commitment actually causes the relationship breakdown.
Lacks predictive validity as it would fail to predict which types of investment, and how much is needed for a long term relationship.
Therefore less scienficially rigorous.
Provides an explanation for abusive relationships
If a partner feels the investment they made into relationships will be lost if they leave, they are more likely to stay in a relationship even when the costs are high and rewards are few. Rusbult’s study of ‘battered’ women, found that women were more likely to return to an abusive partner if they have felt they had invested.
Increases ecological validity.
Is commitment a survival trait!?
Evidence for the investment model is found across cultures, which may suggest that human need for investment and commitment is developed through the process of nature selection to help people survive and reproduce.
Higher committed parents = children’s survival and passing of genes.
Nature side
