A01 Rusbult's Investment Model

• Satisfaction and comparison with alternatives

  Satisfaction is based on the concept of comparison levels. It is judged by comparing costs and rewards and is seen as profitable if it has many rewards and few costs, and satisfaction increases if they are getting more out of the relationship they expect based on past relationships & social norms.
• As seen with SET , Clalt will result in romantic partners asking if they can have alternatives which are rewarding/less costly. Alternatives incldude not just relationships with other people but the possibility of having romantic relationship at all.
• Investment size


  Rusbult suggested that the CL and the CLalt from the SET are not enough to explain commitment to a relationship. She found that when people were deciding whether to end a relationship, not only did they weigh up the rewards and costs of the relationship and possible alternatives available, but they also considered how much they had invested. 3rd factor is investment influecing commitment.
• Rusbult's definition of investment

  She defines investment as 'anything a person puts into a relationship that would be lost if they leave it. This may include possessions, children's welfare and emotional energy. There are two major investments.
• Intrinsic investments


  Resources that are put directly into the relationship, including tangible things like money and possessions. They can also be resources less easy to quantifyy like time, effort, affection, and disclosure.
• Extrinsic investments


  Resources that did not feauture in the relationship but are now closaely associated with it. Tangibles include possessions bought together, mutal friends and children. An example of intangible is shared memories.
• Rusbult's prediction on how to be commited


  Therefore if a partner in a relationship is experiencing high levels of satisfaction , it is because of many rewards and few costs and alternatives are less attractive while the investments are increasing.
• Satisfaction vs commitment

  Rusbult argues the main psychological factors that cause people to stay in a romantic relationships is not satisfaction but commitment This is an important distinction because it can help explain why dissatisfied partners will stay in a relationship- because they are committed to their partner.

  They are so committed because they have made an investment that they do not want to go to waste. They will work hard to maintain and repair a damaged relationship.
• Relationship maintenance mechanisms

  Commitment expresses itself in everyday maintenance behaviours. Enduring partners promote the relationship by avoiding arguments.-(Accommodation). They also put their partner's interests first (sacrifice) and forgive them for serious transgressions (fogiveness).
• Cognitive element to relationship maintenance

  Commited partners think about eachother and potential alternatives in specific ways. They're unreleastically positive about their partner (positive illusions) and negative about potential alternatives (ridiculing alternatives).