2. Betrayal Memory
Contrasting the trust signal, Betrayal Memory captures the salience and frequency of past transgressions---moments where expectations were violated or emotional/social contracts were breached. Anchored in prospect theory and the well-documented negativity bias (Tversky & Kahneman, 1979), betrayal has a disproportionate impact on the relational ecosystem. Unlike trust, which can grow gradually, betrayal events often induce sudden shifts in relational zones, particularly toward yellow or red status. This variable is asymmetrically weighted toward the negative, reflecting the empirically supported notion that losses loom larger than gains in human cognition and social valuation.
3. Emotional Reciprocity
The Emotional Reciprocity variable refers to the degree of emotional balance and mutual responsiveness in affective exchanges between agents. Rooted in theories of emotional labor (Goleman, 2006), this variable measures the symmetry in emotional giving and receiving---how well individuals validate, respond to, and co-regulate each other's emotional states. Emotional reciprocity acts as a stabilizing factor in the system, enhancing perceived relational safety and resilience. It moderates the impact of other variables, especially in transitional states (e.g., yellow zone), and may act as a buffer against betrayal or strategic misalignment.
4. Strategic Alignment
Strategic Alignment denotes the perceived compatibility of both immediate goals and long-term interests between interacting agents. Informed by game theory and alignment models, this variable evaluates whether agents are moving in the same direction or at risk of becoming adversarial due to diverging interests. Strategic misalignment does not inherently indicate malevolence but often signals structural friction that can become relationally costly if unaddressed. High alignment can compensate for minor trust deficits, particularly in institutional or transactional contexts, where cooperation is incentivized despite weak emotional ties.
5. Conflict Frequency
The Conflict Frequency variable quantifies the rate of unresolved, repeated, or escalating disputes within the relational timeline. Based on relational turbulence theory and conflict communication studies, this factor negatively affects the relational score and can rapidly erode accumulated trust or emotional goodwill. Conflict, particularly when unmanaged, becomes an amplifying feedback loop, pushing relational dynamics toward the red or black zones. However, this variable must be read in conjunction with Responsiveness to Repair, as frequent conflict in itself is not always pathological if accompanied by effective conflict resolution strategies.
6. Third-Party Influence
Human relationships are rarely dyadic; they are embedded in wider social ecosystems. The Third-Party Influence variable captures how external actors---friends, family, institutions, or algorithms---shape trust and perception indirectly. This includes positive effects (e.g., vouching for credibility) and negative ones (e.g., triangulation, rumors). Drawing from social network theory and the triadic closure principle, this variable often introduces complexity into otherwise linear trajectories, acting as a contextual modulator that can shift the relational trajectory unexpectedly.
7. Information Transparency
