Rusbult's Investment Model

A01

The Investment Model is a development of the Social Exhange Theory. 

It is an 'Economic Theory'

Rusbult argued that 3 things affected commitment:

• Satisfaction
• Comparison of Alternatives
• Investment size

Satisfaction: 

Satisfaction is based on the concept of the comparison level. 

The satisfaction level is dependent on whether the rewards outweigh the benefits in a relationship.

Comparison of Alternatives: 

Comparing current partner with possible alternatives, with the thought of whether the alternatives offer more benefits than the current.

alternative with more profits = more likely to leave relationship

No alternatives/weak alternatives = stay in relationship

Investment Size:

The amount you put into a relationship that will be lost if the relationship ends.

Two types of investments:

• Intrinsic investment = the resources we directly put into relationships. E.g. money, self-disclosures
• Extrinsic investment = resources that did not exist prior to the relationship but are now closely associated with it e.g. shared items, shared memories, children.

Investment Model explains why dissatisfied partners choose to stay in relationships -> they have made a lot of commitment due to the investments they made.

A03

Strength -> Explains why some people choose to stay in abusive relationships

 Investment model is useful in explaining Intimate Partner Violence.

-Rusbult et al -> studied women at a shelter; asked why they stayed with their abusive partners. Found that those who were most committed to their relationship reported making the most…