Which factor is NOT listed as an influence on CL and CLalt?

• A. Awareness of other options
• B. Cultural changes
• C. Social media and dating apps
• D. Financial status of the couple

Answer: (D)

Think about CL and CLalt as ways people judge their relationship by comparing what they get (rewards and costs) to what else they could get elsewhere. The factors that shape those judgments are about options and norms, not just the couple’s own finances.

Awareness of other options matters because if you know there are attractive alternatives, your CLalt rises and you may judge a current relationship less favorably relative to what else is available. Cultural changes matter because shifts in norms and expectations alter what counts as a desirable relationship, which can raise or lower both the baseline for satisfaction (CL) and the appeal of alternatives (CLalt). Social media and dating apps matter because they make more potential partners visible and accessible, intensifying the sense of available options and often increasing the perceived rewards of exploring alternatives.

Financial status of the couple, while it can influence daily life and stability, isn’t a direct input in how CL and CLalt are defined or measured in this framework. It doesn’t establish the perceived options or the normative context in the same way the other factors do, so it isn’t listed as an influence here.