AO3 - Rusbult's Investment Model

• Research to support Rusbult's investment model was conducted by Le and Agnew. They carried out a meta analysis including 5 countries. They 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 the longest. This was found true for both genders, across all cultures and for homosexual as well as heterosexual couples. Increasing the validity of Rusbults investment model as the features within the model are universally important for romantic relationships.
• However, most of the studies in Le and Agnews meta analysis investigating Rusbult’s investment model are correlational. Therefore, a cause and effect cannot be established between factors such as investment size and satisfaction and increased commitment in relationships. It could be due to the more committed you feel towards your partner the more investment you are willing to make in the relationship, rather than the other way round. Therefore, limiting the internal validity of the research that supports Rusbult’s investment model as a theory of romantic relationships.
• However, alternative theories of romantic relationships, like equity theory, propose that the most important thing in whether a relationship will succeed is equity within a relationship rather than investment. For example, research has shown relationship satisfaction is dependent on the person feeling there is equity between what they are putting into the relationship and what they are getting out of it, rather than the amount of investment an individual has. Suggesting that Rusbult’s investment model may not be the sole explanation of whether relationships will succeed.