Commitment and the perpetration of relationship violence

Lowell Gaertner · Vangie A. Foshee

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Intimate Partner and Family Violence Bullying, Victimization, and Aggression Attachment and Relationship Dynamics

Abstract

Abstract We employed the investment model of commitment (Rusbult, 1983) to examine the independent effects of commitment and relationship duration on the perpetration of common couple violence (i.e., instances of physical violence that occasionally arise in conflict situations; Johnson, 1995). Data are from self‐administered questionnaires completed by 722 “currently dating” adolescents in the 8th and 9th grades in a rural public school district in North Carolina. Roughly 10% of the adolescents reported using violence (i.e., hitting, pushing, shoving, kicking, or assaulting with a weapon) against their current partner that was not used as self‐defense. The majority of the violent relationships involved the reciprocal use of violence by both partners. Both commitment and duration exerted independent effects upon the perpetration of common couple violence. Consistent with the relationship violence literature, relationship members became more likely to use violence against their partner as the duration of the relationship increased. However, consistent with research that indicates that commitment leads individuals to forgo immediate‐self interest and to instead maximize the needs of the relationship, relationship members became less likely to use violence as their commitment to the relationship increased. Furthermore, a gender difference was found in terms of the relationship between violence and variables that promote commitment. Although decreased relationship satisfaction increased the use of violence for both males and females, the increased quality of alternative relationships also increased the use of violence for males. The current findings are consistent with the idea that, whereas relationship duration simply makes partners more accessible to one another, commitment promotes cooperative strategies for conflict resolution.

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References

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2010I³ theory: Instigating, impelling, and inhibiting factors in aggression.2011Putting the brakes on aggression toward a romantic partner: The inhibitory influence of relationship commitment.2017Expectations for future relationship satisfaction: Unique sources and critical implications for commitment.2018Long-Term Risks and Possible Benefits Associated with Late Adolescent Romantic Relationship Quality 2017Physical and Sexual Teen Dating Violence Victimization and Sexual Identity Among U.S. High School Students, 2015 2018

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