People judge whether their relationship is profitable or not based in part on what they see others experiencing.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Sometimes
• D. Never

Answer: (A)

Social comparison shapes how people evaluate the benefits of their relationship. We naturally use others’ experiences as a benchmark for what a relationship should deliver. When we see friends, family, or media portrayals of happy partnerships, we may judge our own relationship by that standard, feeling more or less satisfied based on how our situation stacks up. This reference point helps explain why satisfaction can shift as our view of others’ experiences changes. It’s not the only factor in how people judge relationship value, but it’s a meaningful and common influence, so saying that people judge profitability in part by what they see others experiencing is accurate.