The commitment calibration hypothesis: When do people devalue attractive alternatives?

The authors theorized that adversity elicits relationship maintenance respo nses when level of adversity is calibrated with level of commitment. To tes t this, the authors examined the commitment-devaluation effect: Those commi tted to a close relationship are thought to devalue attractive alternatives . Two levels of adversity were operationalized. Participants evaluated an a ttractive alternative (moderate threat), or participants evaluated the same target after learning that the target was attracted to them (high threat). Unmarried and low on a relationship commitment scale was considered low co mmitment; unmarried but high or married but low on the scale were considere d moderately committed. Finally married and high on the scab was considered high commitment. Under moderate threat, moderately committed rated the alt ernative as less attractive than those low and high in commitment. Under hi gh threat, those high in commitment rated the alternative as less attractiv e than those low and moderately committed. Gender differences and compariso ns with single people were examined.