rusbults investment model

• Rusbult’s model suggests commitment to a relationship depends on 3 factors: satisfaction, investment and alternatives
• Satisfaction:

  •The extent to which we feel rewards of a relationship exceed the costs (CL)
• Comparison with alternatives (Clalt)

  •Judgment on whether a relationship with a different partner would increase rewards/reduce costs
• Investment-2 types of investment

  Intrinsic investments

  Put directly into relationship

  • Time

  • Money

  • Energy

  • Self-disclosure

  Extrinsic investments

  Shared things that may be lost

  • House

  • Children

  • Pet

  • Friends

  • Memories
• Commitment is determined by satisfaction, alternative and investment

  High satisfaction (more rewards less costs)

  + Less attractive alternatives

  + Increasing investments

  = more committed relationship
• Commitment is the main factors causing people to stay in a relationship, not satisfaction as the SET suggests

  This explains why dissatisfied partners may stay in a relationship e.g. if investment (house, children, money) is too high to leave
• Committed partners use maintenance behaviours to keep the relationship going e.g.

  Promoting the relationship

  Putting partners interests first

  Forgiving them for transgressions
• Strength

  Rusbult – asked students in heterosexual relationships to complete questionnaires over 7 months and found those who remained committed showed high levels of satisfaction and investment and low Clalt compared to those who ended their relationships

  Supports the idea that all 3 factors influence commitment to relationships, increasing validity.
• strength

  Le & Agnew – meta-analysis found satisfaction, Clalt and investment size all predicted commitment which in term predicted length of relationships. This was true for both genders, across cultures and in different sexualities.

  Suggests model’s claim that these factors are universally important in relationships is valid
• strength

  Study of abused women staying in a shelter and found those reporting greatest investment and fewer alternatives were most likely to return to partners due to high commitment levels

  Model shows satisfaction on it’s own can’t explain why people stay in relationships (as SET suggests) but that commitment and investment are also important
• weakness

  There may be more to investments than just resources e.g. in early relationships partners make few investments but do invest in future plans, increasing commitment.

  Suggests original model is limited and fails to consider the complexity of investments.