Theories Of Romantic Relationships, Rusbults Investement Model

Question 1

What type of theory is investment theory

Answer 1

An economic theory

Question 2

What is commitment

Answer 2

The desire to continue the relationship

Question 3

What are the three factors which impact commitment

Answer 3

-Satisfaction level
-Comparison with alternatives
-Size of investment

Question 4

Satisfaction level

Answer 4

Satisfaction level is based on the rewards-costs which shows the profit experienced in a relationship

Question 5

Comparison with alternatives

Answer 5

If there are other alternatives which you perceived to have more profits then your current relationship then it weakens commitment

Question 6

Investment

Answer 6

Putting something into the relationship that will be lost if you break up

Question 7

Extrinsic Investments

Answer 7

Shared investments like holidays, pets, children

Question 8

Intrinsic investments

Answer 8

Individual investments like money, time

Question 9

How can low satisfaction still lead to commitment

Answer 9

-If there is low satisfaction in the relationship but you have large investments like children or a house
-This leads to relationship maintenance mechanisms

Question 10

Relationship maintenance mechanisms

Answer 10

-Forgiving partner
-Having positive illusions about partner
-Ridiculing alternatives
-Sacrificing your needs for your partner
-Accommodating space and time for the relationship

Question 11

Explanation for abusive relationships

Answer 11

• Rusbult and Martz studies abused women at a women’s shelter and found that those who were most likely to return to their partners were ones with large investments like children
• Staying committed to a partner whilst Intimate partner violence may seem irrational to people not within the relationship but the investment model can explain how people stay committed even when dissatisfied in relationships

Question 12

Supporting evidence

Answer 12

-Le and Agnew
-A meta analysis of 52 studies which summed 11000 participants from five countries found that satisfaction, comparison levels and investment size were all good predictors for relationship commitment
-True for men, women, hetero and homosexual across many cultures

Question 13

Oversimplifies investment

Answer 13

-Goodfriend and Agnew
-More to investments than resources already put into the relationship
-In the early stages, there are very few investments but Rusbult should include the investment of future plans like holidays or marriage
-This makes people more committed to maintaining the relationship

-Limited/incomplete explanation