#shorter except for the aro ID scale

[the-agent-of-blight]

Aromanticism in Academic Papers (day 3)

This is day 3 of me summarizing a paper that researches aromanticism for each day of ASAW 2024!

Today's paper is "The investment model of commitment: examining asexual and aromantic populations using confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis" by Lijing Ma, Hailey A. Hatch, and Eddie M. Clark [stable link]

This paper focuses on validating the investment model of commitment with aromantic and asexual populations. The investment model of commitment was hypothesized by the authors to help explain differences between ace, aro, and aroace individuals. The investment model suggests that relationship satisfaction, quality of alternatives, and investment together can predict commitment in a relationship. Satisfaction level is the happiness with a current relationship, quality of alternatives is the quality of different relationships/other things that would replace the current relationships (like a close friend fulfilling the emotional support needs that would otherwise be filled by a romantic partner). Investment size is the amount of resources that one has put into a relationship. The theory states that a person is more committed to a relationship if they are more satisfied, have worse alternatives, and have high investment.

Participants were selected from people who indicated they were, aro, ace, or both, but both took the Asexual Identification Scale (created by Morag Yule et al. in 2015) and the Aromantic Identification Scale (created by the authors of this paper by replacing mentions of sex with romance in the Asexual ID Scale). This Aromantic Identification Scale is one of the more significant new things done by this study. Its counterpart, the Asexual Identification Scale has been well documented and used. Having an equivalent for Aromantic populations will enable more research to be conducted. (the aromantic identification scale will be reprinted at the bottom of this post.)

The results of this factor analysis found that satisfaction and commitment were loaded on the same factor, and not separate factors (ie. people of the population do not seem to distinguish between the two measures). This may be biased though, because only half of the participants practiced monogamous relationships, and those who are polyamorous may view commitment differently than how commitment was intially conceptualized in the creation of the Investment model in 1980.

The results also found that commitment was positively related to relationship satisfaction and investment, and negatviely related to quality of alternatives. Meaning that the investment model usually held true with its predictions amount aro and ace individuals, but the factors are not quite the same as what the investment model proposes.

Ultimately, in my opinion, this paper's most significant contribution is that of the Aromantic Identification Scale, and not necessarily its actual findings. I can't say i'm well acquainted with the world of research in the investment model of commitment, so maybe there this paper is more significant.

[link to day 4]

Keep reading for the Aromantic Identification Scale

Please Read the following statements and think about yourself. Please include the extent to which each statement is true or false to you and your experiences with romantic attraction. Take note of what number you answer for each question.

I experience romantic attraction towards other people

Completely True

Somewhat True

Neither true nor false

Moderately False

Completely False

I lack interest in romantic activity

Completely False

Moderately False

Neither True nor False

Somewhat True

Completely True

I don't feel that I fit the conventional categories of romantic orientation, such as heteroromantic, homoromantic, or biromantic

Completely False

Moderately False

Neither True nor False

Somewhat True

Completely True

The thought of Romantic activity repulses me.

Completely False

Moderately False

Neither True nor False

Somewhat True

Completely True

I find myself experiencing romantic attraction towards another person

Completely True

Somewhat True

Neither True nor False

Moderately False

Completely False

I am confused by how much interest and time other people put into romantic relationships

Completely False

Moderately False

Neither True nor False

Somewhat True

Completely True

The term "nonromantic" would be an accurate description of my romantic life.

Completely False

Moderately False

Neither True nor False

Somewhat True

Completely True

I would be content if I never had a romantic relationship again.

Completely False

Moderately False

Neither True nor False

Somewhat True

Completely True

I would be so relieved if I was told that I never had to engage in any sort of romantic activity again.

Completely False

Moderately False

Neither True nor False

Somewhat True

Completely True

I go to great lengths to avoid situations where romance might be expected of me

Completely False

Moderately False

Neither True nor False

Somewhat True

Completely True

My ideal relationship would not involve romantic activity.

Completely False

Moderately False

Neither True nor False

Somewhat True

Completely True

Romance has no place in my life

Completely False

Moderately False

Neither True nor False

Somewhat True

Completely True

If the sum of the numbers of answers you selected was above 40, the identification scale believes that you are aromantic. Now, obviously, this scale is not perfect, and is not the end all be all on your identity, what really matters is what you identify as. But for scientific purposes, a sample often needs to be randomized, which means finding aromantic or asexual people in a large population without being able to just ask them if they are or are not aromantic or asexual.