Which of the following best describes the components used in the Investment Model to assess commitment?

Which of the following best describes the components used in the Investment Model to assess commitment?

• A. Satisfaction, investments, and alternatives.
• B. Physical attraction, shared interests, and trust.
• C. Age, education, and income.
• D. Communication, conflict, and closeness.

Answer: (A)

The Investment Model assesses commitment by three components: satisfaction, investments, and alternatives. Satisfaction reflects how happy partners are with the relationship; higher satisfaction makes commitment more likely. Investments are the resources (time, emotions, shared plans, possessions) put into the relationship that would be costly to give up, so larger investments bolster commitment. Alternatives are the perceived quality of the best option outside the relationship; if outside options are poor, commitment increases because leaving isn’t appealing. Together, these three predict how strongly someone will stay with a partner. Other options don’t fit as neatly: physical attraction, shared interests, and trust describe relationship quality, not the specific predictors of commitment in this model. Age, education, and income are demographic factors, not the model’s components. And communication, conflict, and closeness describe relationship dynamics but aren’t the trio the model uses to gauge commitment.

The Investment Model assesses commitment by three components: satisfaction, investments, and alternatives. Satisfaction reflects how happy partners are with the relationship; higher satisfaction makes commitment more likely. Investments are the resources (time, emotions, shared plans, possessions) put into the relationship that would be costly to give up, so larger investments bolster commitment. Alternatives are the perceived quality of the best option outside the relationship; if outside options are poor, commitment increases because leaving isn’t appealing. Together, these three predict how strongly someone will stay with a partner.

Other options don’t fit as neatly: physical attraction, shared interests, and trust describe relationship quality, not the specific predictors of commitment in this model. Age, education, and income are demographic factors, not the model’s components. And communication, conflict, and closeness describe relationship dynamics but aren’t the trio the model uses to gauge commitment.