The Influences from Comparison Level and Comparison Level for Alternatives on the Dating Relationship Stability, and Mediating Effects from the Commitment among the College Students: An Application of the Interdependence Theory

Abstract

This study investigates factors that impact dating relationship stability(DRS) among college students by applying two key concepts from the Interdependence Theory suggested by Kelly & Thibaut (1978; Thibaut & Kelly, 1959), the comparison level(CL) and comparison level for alternatives(CLalt). This study also examined mediating effects of commitment on the relationship between CL and DRS and CLalt and DRS. The research used a survey data set drawn from 327 college students currently involved in a dating relationship. The collected data set was then analyzed using SPSS software ver. 23.0 and AMOS software ver. 25.0, to produce the descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlations, and path analysis with bootstrapping. First, both CL and CLalt had a significant direct impact on DRS. In terms of effect size, CL’s effect size was comparatively larger than CLalt’s. The mediating effects from the commitment were evidenced. In the model, the commitment partially mediated the relationships between CL and DRS, and CLalt and DRS. The findings suggest that commitment still plays a key role in dating relationships among college students who currently have a romantic partner. The findings of this study show the possibilities in applying the concepts and theory of interdependence to explain current dating relationships among young adults.