- Le and Agnew conducted a meta analysis and found that satisfaction, comparison with alternatives and investment size all predicted relationship commitment
- relationships in which commitment was greatest were the most stable and lasted longest
- these outcomes were true for both men and women , across all cultures in the analysis, and for homosexual and well as heterosexual couples
- this suggests there is validity for Rusbult's claim that these factors are universally important features of romantic relationships
strength - the model is an explanation of relationships that involve intimate partner violence
- Rusbult and Martz studied women at a shelter and found that those more likely to return to an abusive partner reported having made the greatest investment and having the fewest attractive alternatives
- these women were dissatisfied with their relationships but still committed to them
- therefore, the model shows that the satisfaction on its own cannot explain why people stay in relationships - commitment and investment are also factors