Final answer:
Examining a partner's consistency in fulfilling commitments can reveal their reliability, impacting the relationship. Relationship formation is largely influenced by proximity and similarity, while reciprocity and self-disclosure maintain and deepen these bonds. Relationships are also sustained by evaluating the costs and benefits, where the benefits should outweigh the costs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Looking at your partner's track record for keeping commitments with friends is indeed helpful information that pertains to your relationship. This observation can give you a glimpse into their reliability and value they place on commitment. In the context of forming relationships, factors like proximity and similarity are critical as they lead to the initial formation of relationships. Over time, the factors that contribute to the maintenance and depth of these relationships include reciprocity and self-disclosure. Of course, we do not form relationships with everyone we come in close contact with, so individual attributes and the mutual interaction dynamics ultimately influence which specific individuals we choose as friends or romantic partners.
In assessing the viability of a relationship, people may act like naive economists, keeping track of the costs and benefits of maintaining a relationship. This cost-benefit analysis is often subconscious but powerful, influencing the desire to continue investing in a relationship where the perceived benefits outweigh the perceived costs. Additionally, maintaining connections with contacts such as friends, former employers, or colleagues is pivotal for networks and references, and tools like LinkedIn can be very useful in this aspect. These networks not only help in personal development but also in professional scenarios where trust and close personal connections can be as crucial as formal qualifications in securing a job, especially in trust-oriented societies or highly competitive industries.