Emotional investment

Abstract

This study examined the utility of the investment model in understanding the experience and expression of emotion in young adult friendships (179 undergraduate students). The results provide support for the utility of the investment model components (i.e., satisfaction, investment, alternative quality, and commitment) in understanding (a) friends’ anger and guilt experiences and (b) the four types of anger expression examined (i.e., integrative assertion, passive aggression, distributive aggression, and non-assertive denial), but the model provided limited support for the four types of guilt expressions examined (i.e., apology–concession, explanations–justification, guilt appeasement, and denial–withdrawal). Support was found for the investment model’s claim that commitment serves a mediating role between the other model components (i.e., satisfaction, investment, and alternative quality) and other relational components.