Which factor can influence CLalt based on dating market context?

• A. Our dating market (rural area vs city)
• B. Our favorite TV show
• C. The weather
• D. The brand of clothes

Answer: (A)

CLalt is about the value of the best option you could pursue outside your current relationship. What can shift that value is the dating market context you’re in—how many viable alternatives exist and how easy it is to access them. In a city with lots of potential partners and opportunities to meet people, the pool of outside options grows, which can raise CLalt and make someone more likely to leave if their current relationship isn’t satisfying. In a rural area with fewer potential partners, the outside options are scarcer, so CLalt tends to be lower and people may stay longer even if the current relationship isn’t perfect. The other factors—favorite TV show, weather, or clothing brand—don’t alter the number or attractiveness of outside options in the dating market, so they don’t influence CLalt in this context.