Rusbults Investment Model

• What did Rusbult find?

  She found that when people were deciding whether to end a relationship, not only did they weigh up rewards & costs of the relationship and possible available alternatives, but they also considered HOW MUCH THEY HAD INVESTED IN THE RELATIONSHIP
• Define investment?

  Resources associated with a romantic relationship which partners would lose if the relationship were to end
• What are intrinsic investments?

  Resources we directly put into a relationship
• Give examples of tangible intrinsic investments?

  money , possessions
• Give examples of intangible intrinsic investments?

  energy, emotions, time
• What are extrinsic investments?

  Resources that previously did not feature in a relationship but are now closely related to it
• examples of tangible extrinsic investments?


  house

  car

  mutual friends
• examples of intangible extrinsic investments?

  memories
• What factors are put together in rusbult's investment model which ultimately leads to commitment in a relationship?

  commitment level............

  • satisfaction level
  • comparison with alternatives
  • investment size
• What does Rusbult argue?


  the main psychological variable that causes people to stay in a relationship is commitment (not satisfaction as previously stated by SET
• What does commitment explain?

  Why people stay in a relationship when they are not satisfied
• Why are people do committed to a relationship when they are not satisfied?

  Because they have made an investment that they do not want to see go to waste. They will work hard to keep a relationship going
• What does commitment express itself as?

  Everyday maintenance behaviours

  eg are willing to put their partner first (willingness to sacrifice), and be forgiving to other partner (forgiveness)
• There is also a ......... element to relationship maintenance and repair?

  Cognitive element

  • They are unrealistically positive about the partner (Positive illusions) , negative about tempting alternatives and other people's relationships (RIDICULING ALTERNATIVES) , much more so than less committed partners
• According to this model, what are the 3 major factors that maintain commitment in relationships?

  satisfaction level

  comparison with alternatives

  investment size
• what are satisfaction level and comparison with alternatives based on?

  The idea of comparison levels from SET
• when will people have a high level of satissfaction with relationships?

  If they have more rewards and fewer costs
• when do people also tend to be committed to relationships?


  If, when asking themselves ''is there a better alternative to satisfy my needs?'' the answer is no

  • Alternatives include staying on their own and not engaging in romantic relationship at all, as well as finding a new partner
• for rusbult et al, what is the most important factor that maintains committment to a relationship?

  Investment - refers to number of resources both tangible and intangible that people will lose if they leave a relationship
• what does the model propose?

  2 types of investment - intrinsic and extrinsic . Both types can potentially be lost if relationships end
• what does rusbult conclude if relationships end?

  if relationships end, rusbult concluded that the bigger the investment- the more likely people are to stay in relationships

  • therefore it is investment size that influences commitment to relationships, rather than just level of satisfaction and potential alternatives