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. It builds on interdependence theory, created by Harold Kelley and John Thibaut, which explains relationship outcomes through satisfaction, a comparison between what a relationship actually delivers and what a person expects from it, and dependence, a comparison between a relationship's outcomes and the outcomes available in an alternative relationship; under interdependence theory alone, a relationship's survival can be predicted from whether each partner is satisfied and believes their current situation beats any available alternative. Because that account cannot fully explain why people remain in relationships where an outside alternative is plainly better, including abusive relationships, Rusbult's investment model was developed to extend the prediction to cases like these.
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Core Claima predictive psychological theory that aims to explain why people remain in relationships 1 Connections
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Caryl Rusbult's investment model was developed as a direct extension of interdependence and social exchange theory, adding investment size to satisfaction and alternatives as a third determinant of commitment.
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Investment model of commitment
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a predictive psychological theory that aims to explain why people remain in relationships
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