Factors contributing to partner commitment among unmarried African Americans

Marriage Among African Americans: What Does the Research Reveal?

“…Equity, power, physical attractiveness and sexual relationships did not contribute significantly to commitment for them. For women, romantic alternatives and power were positively related to commitment, while physical attractiveness was negatively related to it, suggesting that it is less important for women (Davis et al 2000). Equity, romantic ideal and sexual relationships were not significant factors for women.…”

“…The Investment Model of Romantic Commitment postulates that an individual's willingness to commit to a relationship is a function of satisfaction, investment and available alternatives (Davis et al 2000). Factors contributing to satisfaction and, subsequently, partner commitment include, equity, power, whether a partner is close to one's romantic ideal, and physical attraction and satisfaction with one's sexual relationship.…”

“…Factors contributing to satisfaction and, subsequently, partner commitment include, equity, power, whether a partner is close to one's romantic ideal, and physical attraction and satisfaction with one's sexual relationship. In a study of 212 professional African Americans recruited during a meeting of the National Association of Black MBA's (Davis et al 2000), it was found that, for both men and women, investment into the relationship was the most powerful factor predicting commitment. The other factor was satisfaction.…”

Predicting relationship commitment in gay men: Contributions of vicarious shame and internalized homophobia to the investment model.

“…As such, results may have been con founded by undifferentiated relational categories given potential differences in commitment as a function of relationship status (e.g., Rhoades, Stanley, & Markman, 2010). On the other hand, multiple studies have demonstrated that higher commitment level correlates with increased satisfaction, increased investment, and lower quality of alternatives across sexual minority and heterosex ual populations, relationship duration, and types of relationships, including those dating, married, and cohabiting (Bui, Peplau, & Hill, 1996;Davis, 2000;Impett, Beals, & Peplau, 2001-2002Le & Agnew, 2003;McCabe, 2006;Rusbult, Johnson, & Morrow, 1986;Rusbult et al, 1998;Sprecher, 2002). Using average z scores weighted by sample size and then reconverted to R2, Le and Agnew's (2003) meta-analysis of the Investment Model across numerous studies, including heterosexuals and nonheterosexuals, concluded that satisfaction, alternatives, and investment each uniquely contributed to the prediction of commitment, explaining 61% (R = .78) of the variance, as well as successfully explaining 22% (R = .47) of the variance of relationship breakup as a function of commitment level.…”

“How Do I View My Sister?”

“…Little research has focused on what factors interfere with the process of African American women and men developing and maintaining healthy relationships (Fairchild, 1985;Staples, 1979Staples, , 1981Tucker & Taylor, 1996;Davis, Williams, Emerson, & Hourd-Bryant, 2000). A better understanding of these factors can help to improve relationships between these individuals and create stronger families within the African American community.…”