A MEASURE OF FEAR OF COMMITMENT

This study developed and evaluated an instrument intended to measure the readiness of persons to commit to other in serious intimate relationships. The administration of the instrument measured responses as controlled for respondent age and respondent gender. The results indicate that women under the age of 30 appear to be more ready for commitment than either men or women 30 and older. Women 30 and older tend to be more indifferent to commitment than do either men or women under 30.

The readiness of people for commitment has been studied from a variety of perspectives (Kiecolt-Glaser, Bane, Glaser, & Malarkey, 2003). There appear to be as many explanations as to why a person is or is not ready to commit to another in a serious intimate relationship, as there are studies on the issue (Fehr, 1999).

This study sought to develop an instrument to assess a person's readiness for commitment in a serious intimate relationship. An instrument was developed on the basis of the findings of research reported in the literature.

Serling and Betz (1990) found that Fear of commitment was related to both state and trait anxiety and to self-esteem and was also found to be significantly higher in undecided vs. decided college students.

Gagne, et al. (2003) found that dating students anticipating the transition from university to work deliberated about increasing their commitmen

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Female Male Total Under 30 3 3 6 30 and Older 3 3 6 Total 6 6 12 The survey instrument included 21 items that described scenarios to which the respondents were to respond by selecting one of six choices provided. Two of the responses indicated that the respondent was (to some extent) ready for commitment. One of the responses indicated that the respondent was indifferent to the idea of commitment within the context of the scenario presented. Three of the responses indicated that the respondents (to some extent) were not prepared for commitment. The results related to these 21 questions are presented in Tables 2 through 23.




















The results related to the first 21 questions included in the survey questionnaire indicate that women under the age of 30 appear to be more ready for commitment than either men or women 30 and older. Women 30 and older tend to be more indifferent to commitment than do either men or women under 30. Questionnaire items 22 through 24 asked respondents to react to scenarios involving people other than a respondent and her or his significant other. The r
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Some common words found in the essay are:
Indifferent Slightly, Male Total, Drigotas Rusbult, Social Psychology, Serling Betz, COMMITMENT ABSTRACT, Glaser Malarkey, Fit Commit, Floyd Wasner, Kirkpatrick Davis, thrilled pretty excited, excited indifferent slightly, indifferent slightly uneasy, excited indifferent, absolutely thrilled, indifferent slightly, slightly uneasy, uneasy uncomfortable, thrilled pretty,

, uneasy uncomfortable completely, slightly uneasy uncomfortable, uncomfortable completely, completely panicked, pretty excited,
Approximate Word count = 1999
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)