What is a risk of couples falling into a routine of mundane activities?

• A. They may fail to meet their expansion needs, risking the relationship going stale.
• B. They will automatically become more satisfied.
• C. They will always experience less stress.
• D. They will have increased sexual frequency.

Answer: (A)

When a couple settles into a pattern of mundane activities, their expansion needs—the desire for new experiences, growth, and fresh challenges—often go unmet. That mismatch can lead to boredom, emotional distance, and a sense that the relationship has become stagnant, which lowers motivation to invest in each other and can even prompt seeking fulfillment outside the relationship. Routine isn’t inherently bad, but it tends to reduce novelty and excitement, not increase satisfaction or reduce stress. So the risk here is that not meeting expansion needs can cause the relationship to go stale.