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How Do Invested Partners Become Invested? A Prospective Investigation of Fledgling Relationship Development
1Western University, London, Ontario, Canada.
Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin
|February 7, 2024
Summary
Investment in relationships grows over time, but develops quickly in early dating. Feelings of attachment and future outlook, not milestones, most influence relationship investment.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Social Psychology
- Relationship Science
Background:
- Relationship investment is theorized to be crucial for relationship persistence.
- The developmental trajectory of investment in new romantic relationships remains poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental process of relationship investment in newly formed dating relationships.
- To test theoretical assumptions about how individuals become invested in a partner over time.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study design tracking 256 individuals in new dating relationships.
- Weekly surveys administered for up to 25 weeks to capture relationship dynamics.
- Analysis of subjective and objective indicators of relationship development.
Main Results:
- Relationship investment increased over the 25-week period, confirming some theoretical assumptions.
- Investment levels were high early in dating and not significantly influenced by concrete relationship milestones.
- Subjective factors, including partner attachment and perceived relationship future, strongly predicted investment levels.
Conclusions:
- Early relationship investment is shaped more by subjective feelings and perceptions than by objective milestones.
- Findings suggest a need to refine existing models of relationship investment to account for early, rapid development.
- Understanding the drivers of early investment is key to understanding relationship persistence.
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