Fall 2025 Commitment Class Notes

Fall 2025 Commitment Class Notes

Announcements

  • Assignment #2: Due on October 21st.

  • Exam #2: Scheduled for Tuesday, October 28th.

    • Will consist of 35 questions, each worth 1 point.

Last Time

  • Discussed several key concepts:

    • Transformation of Motivation

    • Interdependence Theory: Includes discussion on:

    • Interdependence

    • Satisfaction

    • Dependence

    • Fundamental questions to consider:

    • What are outcomes?

    • Do people's outcomes need to differ for their satisfaction and/or dependence to differ?

    • What did Interdependence Theory help explain?

The Investment Model

  • Investments: Defined as resources that would be lost if you exited the relationship.

    • Quote: "The sweetest memories I have are the ones I share with you."

    • Refers to emotional and relational resources tied to a relationship.

Commitment in Relationships

  • Model Overview:

    • The more committed you are to a relationship, the less likely you are to leave it.

  • Investment Model Components:

    • Commitment: Central to understanding relational stability.

    • Satisfaction:

    • Calculated through the balance of Costs vs. Rewards.

    • Expectancies (referred to as Comparison Level, CL) influence satisfaction.

    • Key formula: Outcomes ≥ CL, where Outcomes denotes the perceived rewards of the relationship.

Alternatives and Investments

  • Considerations of Alternatives:

    • Potential partners can be specific or general.

    • Outcomes of being single or without current relationships impact investment calculations.

  • Investments in Relationships:

    • Include irretrievable resources:

    • Children, house, money.

    • Joint social networks.

    • Time and emotional investments also counted.

Inputs to Commitment

  • Various inputs considered:

  • Capitalization: Process of sharing good news and how others respond to that news, affecting commitment levels.

  • Input Examples:

    • Amount of pornography consumed has potential impacts on relationship dynamics and commitment according to Lambert and colleagues.

Attention to Alternatives

  • Inattention to Alternatives:

    • Less focus on attractive pictures or potential alternatives increases likelihood of staying together, as evidenced by Miller's study in 1997.

    • Can also be counterproductive if it leads to ignoring genuine issues within the relationship.

Commitment Predictors

  • Commitment predicts numerous relational behaviors:

    • Perspective Taking: Understanding and empathizing with partner's perspective.

    • Accommodation: Ability to adapt and compromise within the relationship.

    • Derogation of Alternatives: Finding flaws in potential partners to reinforce current commitment.

    • Willingness to Sacrifice: Putting partner’s needs above one’s own.

    • Perceived Relationship Superiority: Belief that one’s relationship is better than others.

    • Fidelity: Commitment to stay loyal and faithful.

Women's Educational Attainment and Divorce Rates

  • Divorce Rates by Country:

    • Statistics showing the correlation between women’s educational attainment levels and divorce rates, highlighting higher divorce rates associated with lower educational attainment.

    • Enrollment Ratios: Emphasis on the differences in educational opportunities for boys and girls, affecting societal patterns.

Societal Patterns & Research

  • Study by Boertien & Harkonen (2018):

    • Examines survival curves for marriage durability based on education level of wives over a duration of years (0 to 18 years).

    • Graphs:

    • Show reduction probabilities of marriage survival based on education status (Lowest, Middle, Highest Education).

    • Explores whether more educated women experience greater satisfaction in marriages or face less societal barriers to divorce.