Rusbult's investment model of commitment

The three factors that commitment depends on

1. Satisfaction

2. Comparison with alternatives

3. Investment size

Satisfaction

To what degree the partner meets your needs

Comparison with alternatives

Does the relationship stand up to other possible alternatives, commitment is stronger if needs are adequately met

Investment size

How many resources the relationship has

Longer the relationship continues the more the partner invests into it, the more thats invested the stronger the commitment

(ending relationship at this point makes commitment/investment pointless)

Commitment expresses itself in every day maintenance behaviour

1. Accommodation

2. Willingness to sacrifice

3. Forgiveness

4. Positive illusions

5. Ridiculing alternatives

Accommodation

Acting in a way that promotes relationships rather than keeping a tally of costs and rewards, you accommodate for your partners issues

Willingness to sacrifice

Putting partners interests first, like moving across the country for a partners promotion

Forgiveness

Willingness to forgive your partners mistakes, both minor and serious

Positive illusions

Being unrealistically positive about partners attributions/ qualities

Ridiculing alternatives

Minimising the advantages of potential alternatives and viewing them in a negative light

Extra research: Lin and Rusbult

Found females generally reported higher satisfaction levels, poorer scores for alternatives, greater investment scores and commitment overall

Evaluation points

+Practical applications (Counsellors)

+Holistic, includes other theories

-Explanatory power (divorce)