Rusbult's Investment Model

• Satisfaction level + Comparison with alternatives + Investment level --> commitment level --> Relationship maintenance mechanisms, Accommodation, Willingness, Forgiveness, Positive illusions, Ridiculing alternatives
• How satisfaction is worked out via this model

  Company rewards and costs = if more rewards & less costs = more satisfying relationships

  Rewards > costs
• What are the two factors determining commitment that are similar to SET assumptions


  Satisfaction level and Comparison with alternatives: seeing if the partner is profitable and seeing if they should continue relationships and look for better alternatives (CLat)
• What are Rusbult's two types of investment

  • Intrinsic - resources are put directly into relationship i.e. money
  • Extrinsic - resources which previously did not matter in the relationship, but are now associated with it i.e. children
• Why did Rusbult think the distinction between commitment and satisfaction was important


  Helps us understand why unhappy partners in a relationship stay