Committed to staying single: Adapting the investment model of commitment processes to study singlehood

Abstract

In the current work, we adapt the investment model of commitment processes for single adults. Across two cross-sectional studies using undergraduate and internet samples (total N = 647), we tested whether the same factors that predict relationship commitment (investment, satisfaction, and quality of alternatives) also predict commitment to singlehood. In line with this theoretical model, we found that singlehood satisfaction and investment in singlehood were each positively associated with commitment to singlehood, whereas the quality of alternatives to singlehood was negatively associated with commitment to singlehood. We also found that a person's expected satisfaction and planned investment were each associated with commitment to singlehood, whereas subjective norms were not associated with commitment to singlehood. In addition, we tested whether commitment to singlehood was positively associated with well-being, but these associations were nonsignificant. Our findings provide initial evidence for the appropriateness of the investment model for understanding commitment to being single.