The Investment Model of Commitment Processes (2024)

Abstract

The investment model of commitment processes is rooted in interdependence theory and emerged from the broader scientific zeitgeist of the 1960s and 1970s that sought to understand seemingly irrational persistence in social behavior. The investment model was developed originally to move social psychology beyond focusing only on positive affect in predicting persistence in a close interpersonal relationship. As originally tested, the investment model holds that commitment to a target is influenced by three independent factors: satisfaction level, quality of alternatives, and investment size. Commitment, in turn, is posited to mediate the effects of these three bases of dependence on behavior, including persistence. Commitment is presumed to bring about persistence by influencing a host of relationship maintenance phenomena. The investment model has proven to be remarkably generalizable across a range of commitment targets, including commitment toward both interpersonal (e.g., abusive relationships, friendships) and non-interpersonal (e.g., job, sports participation, support for public policies) targets. Empirical support for the investment model is presented as well as a review of recent applications of the model and a proposed extension of it.

Date of this Version

2011

Recommended Citation

Rusbult, Caryl E.; Agnew, Christopher; and Arriaga, Ximena, "The Investment Model of Commitment Processes" (2011). Department of Psychological Sciences Faculty Publications. Paper 26.
https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/psychpubs/26

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The Investment Model of Commitment Processes (2024)

FAQs

The Investment Model of Commitment Processes? ›

As originally tested, the investment model holds that commitment to a target is influenced by three independent factors: satisfaction level, quality of alternatives, and investment size. Commitment, in turn, is posited to mediate the effects of these three bases of dependence on behavior, including persistence.

What is the investment model of commitment? ›

The investment model of commitment, originally described by Caryl E. Rusbult, is a predictive psychological theory that aims to explain why people remain in relationships. Its tenants are based primarily on those of interdependence theory, created by Harold Kelley and John Thibaut.

What is the model of the investment theory? ›

The Investment Model was put forward by Rusbult et al. (2001), as a development of Social Exchange Theory. The rationale for developing SET further was that many couples stay together despite the costs outweighing the rewards, so there must be some other factors that keep them together.

What is the investment model of relationships social psychology? ›

Rusbult's investment model is an extension of social exchange theory, which suggests that people in relationships are constantly undergoing an analysis of the cost and benefits of them being in that relationship, including their level of investment (time, effort. money etc.)

What are the three major factors that influence commitment in Rusbult's investment model? ›

The investment model of commitment (Rusbult et al. (2011)) states that commitment depends on three factors: satisfaction, investment and comparison with alternatives.

What are the three aspects of the investment model of commitment? ›

As originally tested, the investment model holds that commitment to a target is influenced by three independent factors: satisfaction level, quality of alternatives, and investment size.

What is the investment model of commitment in the positive relationships? ›

A major premise of the investment model is that relationships persist not only because of the positive qualities that attract partners to one another (their satisfaction), but also because of the ties that bind partners to each other (their investments) and the absence of a better option beyond the relationship with ...

What is the investment model of relationships? ›

Rusbult's investment model of commitment is a theory of romantic relationships that was developed to explain why some people might remain in a relationship while others might not. It is based on four factors: satisfaction, investment, comparison with alternatives, and commitment.

What are the 3 theories of investment? ›

Accelerator Theory Of Investment, Internal Funds Theory Of Investment, and Neoclassical Theory Of Investment are three major types of investment theories. These theories can be used by representative parties to establish their views on the nature of the financial markets and make decisions to reach their broad goals.

What is an example of the investment model in psychology? ›

Give an example of investment. Children are an investment in a relationship because not only do parents commit to investing time and money with each other, but they also commit to having a long-lasting relationship with them, whether they stay together as a couple or not.

What is the social investment model? ›

Implementing a social investment model involves:

This approach focuses on the interdependence of all life stages as generations move from being welfare recipients during childhood and youth, to being contributors during adulthood, to recipients again during old age.

What is an example of social investment theory? ›

Specifically, it posits that personality trait change in young adulthood occurs because of new investments in conventional social roles, such as being a parent or an employee, which bring with them experiences and expectations for being nurturing, responsible, and emotionally stable (see Table 11.1; Roberts, Wood, & ...

What is the difference between invested and committed relationship? ›

The difference lies in balance. Being overly invested means you're pouring more into the relationship than your partner, often leaving your emotional tank on empty. On the flip side, having a balanced commitment allows both partners to contribute to the relationship, leading to healthier dynamics.

What are the factors affecting investment model? ›

Economic conditions can affect the performance of different investment types, such as stocks, bonds, and real estate. For example, during times of economic growth, stock prices tend to rise as companies earn more profits and investors are more confident about the future.

What is the Rusbult's response typology model? ›

The model that identifies five conflict management styles based on both the level of cooperation and the level of assertiveness is called the "Rusbult's Response Typology Model".

What is Rusbult's investment model of relationships quizlet? ›

According to the model, partners act to promote the relationship through accommodation. They are also willing to make sacrifices and prioritise their partner's interests and forgive them for any serious transgressions. They are often unrealistically positive about their partner and negative about alternatives.

What is the investment model of relationship maintaining? ›

The Investment Model (Rusbult, 1980) is a predictive model assessing relationship commitment, which is one's willingness and desire to maintain a relationship over time and as such, it is key to predicting relationship longevity (Impett et al., 2001; Rusbult, 1980;Rusbult et al., 1998;Tran et al., 2019).

What is the investment theory of relationships? ›

Rusbult's investment model of commitment is a theory of romantic relationships that was developed to explain why some people might remain in a relationship while others might not. It is based on four factors: satisfaction, investment, comparison with alternatives, and commitment.

What are the 5 factor investing models? ›

BlackRock has identified five factors — value, quality, momentum, size, and minimum volatility — that have shown to be resilient across time, markets, asset classes, and have a strong economic rationale.

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