Chapter 15. Close Relationships

Introduction

As defined in your text, interdependence theory (page 580) "refers to the idea that satisfaction, investment, and perceived alternatives are critical in determining commitment to a particular relationship." The first factor that determines relationship commitment, satisfaction, is related to the costs and benefits associated with a relationship. Any relationship carries certain costs and benefits. These can be in any domain, including financial, emotional, sexual, and social. Just like how people tend to be satisfied with business arrangements if the benefits of these arrangements outweigh the costs, people tend to be satisfied with their relationships when the benefits of these relationships outweigh the costs. The next factor, investment, refers to how much people put into a relationship. Getting to know your partner's friends, getting a mortgage, and giving up on activities to be with your partner are all examples of investment. The higher the investment, the less likely the relationship will end. The last factor, comparison level for alternatives, is defined in your text (page 581) " as the perceived quality of alternatives to the current relationship." People will be less committed to a relationship if there are better alternatives available, and the relationship will be more likely to end.

This task is designed to illustrate how these factors influence people's commitment to their relationships.

Instructions

To begin, we will ask you a series of questions about two of your relationships: a successful relationship that you enjoy and have not ended, and another relationship that you have personally ended.

Experiment

Results

Debriefing

The purpose of this task is to demonstrate that commitment to a relationship depends on a number of factors: satisfaction (costs & benefits), investment, and alternatives. You were asked a series of questions about two of your relationships: a successful relationship and one that you have ended. The results of actual studies find that people tend to be committed to relationships and do not end them if their satisfaction is high (i.e., rewards are high and costs are low), investment is high, and alternatives are low.

An important aspect of interdependence theory suggests an explanation for why relationships might end when they are relatively satisfying. Satisfying relationships might end when there are more satisfying alternatives available (i.e., more rewarding and less costly relationships). As suggested in your text, this might have been the case when Brad Pitt left Jennifer Aniston for Angelina Jolie. While his relationship with Jennifer might have been satisfying, perhaps the alternative in Angelina appeared to be more satisfying. Comparison level for alternatives might also explain why relationships continue when they are relatively less satisfying. Less satisfying relationships could continue if there are no better alternatives available. People in these relationships might think something along the lines of "I might as well stay in this relationship, since there is no one better available".

It is also important to remember that relationships change over time. Caryl Rusbult (1983) asked male and female students who were in a romantic relationship to answer a series of questions, which were similar to the ones you were asked, at various points over an academic year. This type of longitudinal study is powerful because it shows, in this case, how these factors influence relationship commitment over time. Her results reveal that successful relationships (i.e., those that did not end), compared to relationships that ended, became relatively more positive with time. That is, compared to relationships that ended, successful relationships showed a greater increase in rewards, a smaller increase in costs, a decrease in possible alternatives, and a greater increase in investment. This research demonstrates that people's commitment to their relationships is influenced by these factors which change over time.

References:

Rusbult, C. E. (1983). A longitudinal test of the investment model: The development (and deterioration) of satisfaction and commitment in heterosexual involvements. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45, 101-117.

Quiz