The Need to Belong. Rusbult's Model of Commitment.
Seriously? Rihanna and Chris Brown cannot seem to stay from each other. It seems that despite the alleged abuse and pictures of Rihanna’s bruised face all over the internet, the lovebirds of more than a year have decided to give their relationship another shot, moving in together in their “re-established relationship.” Brown’s court appearances and public backlash for the two rising young stars have not deterred the two from the need to belong with each other.
So why has Rihanna decided to stay in this relationship? Why does this beautiful young woman desire to be involved with someone who has allegedly physically harmed her? From a social psychological standpoint, it is explained by the “need to belong”. As humans, we long to affiliate, commit, and remain together. We seek to form and maintain close, lasting relationships with others.
This need can sometimes cause people to be reluctant to break off bad relationships. Like Rihanna, people still choose to remain involved with violent or abusive partners. The tendencies of human nature are to form these relationships, so putting an end to a close relationship with another goes against that deeply rooted impulse.
Additionally, the decision made by the music duo can be explained by Caryl Rusbult’s (1983) Investment Model. The investment model theory uses three factors—satisfaction, alternatives, and investments—to explain why people stay with their long-term relationship partners.
· 1. Satisfaction: Are you happy spending time with your partner? Do you like him/her? Are you satisfied and pleased in this relationship? For Rihanna, the answers seem to be yes.
· 2. Available Alternatives: So your relationship may not be satisfying? But what about the quality of your other alternatives? If you don’t see anybody else on the horizon for you, chances are that you will remain in that unsatisfying relationship. On the other hand, if someone else better comes along as an alternative, you may be tempted to leave despite a satisfying relationship.
· 3. Investment: How much have you invested into the relationship? Rusbult notes that investments are “sunk costs”. When one invests time, effort, and emotion into relationships, one cannot get them back out. A couple that has been together a significant amount of time (like Rihanna and Chris Brown) may be resistant to change the status of their relationship because they have both individually invested so much into it and do not want to lose it.
Many abuse victims do not believe they have alternatives and also invest a large amount of time in making the relationship work. Victims may be reluctant to throw away all that has been achieved in the relationship to take a chance on a new partner that may not be any better.
Although this theory may not explain all of the reasons why Rihanna chooses to stay with Chris Brown (only Rihanna truly knows why), it does shed light as to why this couple can’t seem to stay broken up. It would be better for the rest of us to stay out of their relationship anyways. There are more important news to be reported on.
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