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Infidelity in committed relationships I: A methodological review
Abstract
Infidelity is perhaps the most complex issue encountered by couple therapists. Although clinical literature, opinion, and speculation on this topic are abundant, research literature is sparse. What little available research exists is, in most cases, neither robust nor helpful to the practicing therapist. This article provides, in both narrative and table format, a comprehensive methodological review of the available research literature on infidelity from 1980 to present. Topics addressed in the narrative include the lack of a consensus on the definition of infidelity; design challenges, such as retrospective research, confidentiality, measures, and variables, and sampling issues, such as diversity and randomization. Throughout the article, we offer suggestions for future research.
... Infidelity is a topic which attracts high interest in popular culture, and it is constantly featured in popular media [1]. The term infidelity has been defined in many different ways by suggesting that it is cheating, having an affair or being unfaithful to your partner [2]. Early studies on infidelity tended to look at it from a narrow point of view, limiting its definition to having a sexual relationship with an individual other than the primary partner in a current exclusive relationship. ...
... There are three kinds of infidelity distinguished by researchers [2,5]. Emotional infidelity includes an individual who develops a bond or intense feelings with a person other than the primary partner. ...
... Sexual infidelity includes an individual who becomes sexually involved with another person other than their primary partner. Finally, composite infidelity involves an individual becoming sexually involved with another person other than their significant other while also creating a deep emotional bond with them [2,5,6]. Although, cultural differences, traditions and societal beliefs influence the existence of infidelity within a society, it is assumed that marital infidelity does exist in every culture to some extent [7]. ...
Although relationship satisfaction has been widely explored, there is a gap in the literature on how factors such as the legal recognition of relationships, relationship orientation and gender affect intentions to engage in infidelity. This study aimed to explore the effect of the legal recognition of relationships, relationship orientation and gender on intentions to engage in infidelity, while controlling for relationship satisfaction. Three hundred forty-seven participants were recruited. The participants were aged between 22 to 79 years (M=41.48, SD=10.16) and in a relationship between 5 and 59 years (M=15.21; SD=9.41). The countries where the participants were raised were split into three categories: no, partial and full legal recognition. The Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale Short form, The Relationship Assessment Scale, The Intentions Towards Infidelity Scale were utilised. ANCOVA indicated that legal recognition is an important factor in intentions to engage in infidelity, furthermore females in heterosexual relationships from countries with full recognition had lower intentions to engage in infidelity. This study aimed to give direction for future research by highlighting the similarity of homosexual and heterosexual relationships when legitimised and focused more on gender differences.
... Blow and Hartnett (2005) highlight the lack of consistency in the de nition and conceptualization of in delity by pointing to the activities that might be considered in delity, such as having an a air, extramarital relationship, cheating, oral sex, friendships, etc. The problem of de nition looms larger when one thinks about the fact that even those in the same relationship might di erently de ne in delity and have di erent opinions about what constitutes in delity (Blow & Hartnett, 2005;Hertlein et al., 2005;Moller & Vossler, 2015). ...
... highlight the lack of consistency in the de nition and conceptualization of in delity by pointing to the activities that might be considered in delity, such as having an a air, extramarital relationship, cheating, oral sex, friendships, etc. The problem of de nition looms larger when one thinks about the fact that even those in the same relationship might di erently de ne in delity and have di erent opinions about what constitutes in delity (Blow & Hartnett, 2005;Hertlein et al., 2005;Moller & Vossler, 2015). Additionally, individuals in di erent forms of relationships (e.g., dating, in a relationship, engaged, marriage, cohabiting, polyamory, etc.) might have di erent views as to what constitutes in delity (Blow & Hartnett, 2005). ...
... The problem of de nition looms larger when one thinks about the fact that even those in the same relationship might di erently de ne in delity and have di erent opinions about what constitutes in delity (Blow & Hartnett, 2005;Hertlein et al., 2005;Moller & Vossler, 2015). Additionally, individuals in di erent forms of relationships (e.g., dating, in a relationship, engaged, marriage, cohabiting, polyamory, etc.) might have di erent views as to what constitutes in delity (Blow & Hartnett, 2005). Some individuals might consider only sexual behaviors as in delity, such as engaging in sexual intercourse with someone other than the partner, engaging in sexual play with, receiving oral sex from, or giving oral sex to, someone else, romantic kissing and nonromantic kissing (e.g., on cheek); others may consider sexual fantasies about someone else or nonsexual/romantic fantasies about someone else to be in delity. ...
This chapter highlights the variations and diversity of human mating systems and cultural differences and similarities in the nature of and attitudes toward infidelity. Altogether, this chapter reviews and shows what is constituted as infidelity in one culture might not necessarily be considered as infidelity in another culture. While there has been some cross-cultural research to evaluate differences and similarities across societies and populations in infidelity, the literature still lacks proper research on what is considered as infidelity in different cultures, societies, and traditions. The current issues of research such as lack of diversity, (i.e., sample limitation to heterosexual, middle-to-upper-class, white, undergraduate students, from Western and industrialized societies, majority from the United States) are noted. Moreover, this chapter argues that the intense interest among behavioral researchers in identifying a universal sex difference in distress over sexual and emotional aspects of infidelity has resulted in neglect of exploring the nature of infidelity and the cultural variations in the attitudes toward infidelity. Finally, by signifying a limited research that employed a behavioral ecological approach, this chapter calls for cross-cultural research based on a behavioral ecological approach on cultural differences and similarities in the nature of infidelity.
... Hertlein, Wetchler, and Piercy (2005) defined infidelity as either "engagement in sexual relations with a person other than one's partner," cybersex, looking at pornography, physical intimacy, or emotional intimacy with someone other than one's spouse [5]. Blow and Hartnett (2005) declared that, marital infidelity can be observed through several activities including: "…having an affair, extramarital relationship, cheating, emotional connections that are beyond friendships, internet relationships, pornography use" [6]. ...
... Hertlein, Wetchler, and Piercy (2005) defined infidelity as either "engagement in sexual relations with a person other than one's partner," cybersex, looking at pornography, physical intimacy, or emotional intimacy with someone other than one's spouse [5]. Blow and Hartnett (2005) declared that, marital infidelity can be observed through several activities including: "…having an affair, extramarital relationship, cheating, emotional connections that are beyond friendships, internet relationships, pornography use" [6]. ...
... Lusterman cited that some spouse are disloyal for a variety of reasons, which may be related to the family of origin, to beliefs about the opposite sex, or to a sense of vulnerability at some point in the life cycle, such as the birth of a child [59]. Allen et al. and Blow and Hartnett found links between a history of infidelity and intrapersonal (diathesis) characteristics such as age, religiosity, and attitudes toward infidelity, personality, and mental health [6,60]. Some of these components may have direct effects on extramarital sexual behavior, whereas other variables may have either indirect effects or represent the effects of a third variable. ...
... In the couple counseling field, infidelity remains a highly prevalent issue, with 25% of couples initially presenting to therapy for a revealed affair and 30% later disclosing it (Glass & Wright, 1992). The need for outcome research on evidence-based treatments for infidelity is evident, yet there remains a paucity of available studies on this essential clinical competency (Blow & Hartnett, 2005;Peluso, 2019;Softas-Nall et al., 2008;Stamps, 2020). In prior surveys, roughly 70% of clinicians cited the lack of infidelity research as a significant deficit in the professional literature (Irvine & Peluso, 2022;Softas-Nall et al., 2008). ...
... For this study, sexual infidelity is defined as intercourse or other sexual acts with another individual outside of the primary relationship. To date, much of the infidelity literature has focused on extramarital sexual affairs among heterosexual married couples, with lifetime prevalence rates for this group ranging from 20% to 25% (Blow & Hartnett, 2005;Fincham & May, 2017;Moller & Vossler, 2015). Moller and Vossler (2015) note that this form of infidelity is often understood to have "one universally understood meaning" (p. ...
... This study's findings demonstrate that infidelity is a culturally influenced social phenomenon. However, existing infidelity studies have predominately focused on the relationship norms and roles of White, cisgender, heterosexual, married couples (Blow & Hartnett, 2005;Henriksen, 2007), thereby ignoring the contextual considerations of infidelity across diverse groups. Expressly, the infidelity research literature has historically omitted marginalized group members such as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) couples. ...
The present study applies a Gottman Method Couples Therapy (GMCT) intervention, the Trust Revival Method (TRM), to couples' relationships following an affair, using a randomized control waitlist design. Couples (n= 84) were recruited nationally and internationally and subsequently randomized to either an immediate treatment group or a 3-week waitlist group. A 6-month post-trial follow-up was conducted for couples that completed treatment. The revised Specific Affect Coding System (Coan & Gottman, 2007) was used to code couples' interactions during a 10–15-minute conflict discussion. Significant effects were found when comparing couples' codes against treatment retention and later relationship functioning. Couples also completed various assessments three times during the study, including the 480-question Gottman Connect (GC) assessment tool. Couples on the 3-week waitlist completed one additional pre-treatment assessment before their 3-week wait commenced. Multivariate statistics with appropriate univariate follow-up procedures were employed to determine group differences between the control and experimental groups. Follow-up procedures were also conducted to investigate any differential rates of symptom reduction or treatment success. The researcher used path analysis procedures following Actor Partner Interdependence Model (APIM- Kenny et al., 2020) assumptions to examine the effects of the intervention on overall relationship satisfaction and subsequent affair recovery, revealing significant effects between assessment scores and coded behaviors. Clinical significance testing also showed significant effects in specific relationship domains. The results add to the current research literature, validating GMCT as an effective broad-based couple therapy approach to repair relationships following infidelity. Implications for clinical practice, graduate training, and research are discussed.
ISBN: 9798841795896
... It is therefore not surprising that infidelity has received considerable scholarly attention over the past decades (for reviews, see Blow & Hartnett, 2005a, 2005bFincham & May, 2017). Research has explored both the determinants and consequences of infidelity (e.g., Negash et al., 2017;Previti & Amato, 2004;Shrout & Weigel, 2020), as well as the prevalence of and trends in infidelity, asking whether extradyadic behaviors become more or less common over time or are observed more often within specific groups or genders (e.g., Brand et al., 2007;Labrecque & Whisman, 2017;Zhang et al., 2012). ...
... Nevertheless, little agreement exists regarding the definition of which behaviors constitute infidelity. Various theoretical approaches exist to define infidelity (e.g., Blow & Hartnett, 2005a;Drigotas et al., 1999). According to Drigotas et al. (1999, p. 509), infidelity occurs if a person feels that the partner has violated a relationship norm by interacting with a third person, and this violation elicits sexual jealousy and rivalry. ...
... Clearly, not only extradyadic intercourse was regarded as infidelity by the respondents, although it was the most important single factor according to the present study. This is in line with existing research that consistently points to sexual intercourse as the clearest form of infidelity (Blow & Hartnett, 2005a;Thompson & O'Sullivan, 2016). ...
Infidelity is more than extradyadic intercourse, but it is unclear where infidelity begins and how behaviors are related to each other. We investigated data from a factorial survey experiment implemented in the German Family Panel (pairfam). 9,104 respondents evaluated 26,633 vignettes on unfaithful behaviors including four dimensions: explicit behavior, emotional involvement, infidelity duration, and erotic online contact. Results suggest that item lists may not reveal the full picture of unfaithfulness. While intercourse is judged as unfaithful irrespective of the context, less explicit behaviors such as kisses or hugs were also regarded as infidelity. Nonphysical dimensions contributed to infidelity judgments more strongly when less explicit behaviors were evaluated. Even cases of no physical contact combined with erotic text messages and emotional involvement were evaluated as unfaithful. Women's judgments were stricter than men's, and younger respondents' evaluations were stricter than those from older respondents. No differences were found regarding the gender of the vignette character.
... Infidelity has been defined in many ways, including having an affair, emotional connections that are beyond friendships, cheating, sexual intercourse, kissing, or using pornography (Blow & Hartnett, 2005b). Thus, experiences defined as infidelity in one study are often very different from experiences defined as infidelity in another study (Blow & Hartnett, 2005a, 2005b. More recently, Thompson and O'Sullivan (2015) categorized infidelity into four sets of behaviors: sexual/explicit behavior with physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse); computer-mediated behaviors (e.g., masturbating over webcam); romantic/affectionate behaviors that potentially convey romantic interest (e.g., watching movies in a dark living room with someone); and solitary sexual behaviors such as masturbation. ...
... Questions such as this may lead to underreported unfaithful behaviors or unfaithful individuals in at least two ways. First, this question directly asked the participants to self-acknowledge an experience involving deep relational pain and personal shame (Blow & Hartnett, 2005a). This approach can activate cognitive defense mechanisms that lead to false negative responses to protect one's image or self-esteem. ...
... Methodologically, studying a sensitive topic like infidelity can be challenging. Our results indicate that direct questioning substantially underestimates the incidence of infidelity, likely due to the stigma attached to unfaithful behavior (Blow & Hartnett, 2005a). The indirect approach overcomes this methodological shortcoming by pairing attitudes with their behaviors. ...
Infidelity has been operationalized inconsistently across studies, and measurement approaches have been employed that are not ideally suited for addressing the stigmatized and subjective nature of infidelity, thereby limiting the conclusions that can be drawn from this body of literature. In 2016, Thompson and O'Sullivan took a step toward addressing these shortcomings by implementing an indirect measurement approach. We extend their findings using a sample of 465 married and divorced individuals via MTurk. Substantially more participants reported having engaged in infidelity via the indirect approach than the direct approach, and results suggest that-in contrast to findings from direct questioning-similar percentages of men and women engage in self-defined infidelity. Implications for research and clinical practice are provided.
... The researchers in the area of infidelity had to deal with the multifaceted understanding of this notion across previous studies, as it has been operationalized through various behaviors (Blow and Hartnett 2005a): having an affair, extramarital relationship, cheating, sexual infidelity, emotional infidelity, extra-dyadic sexual activities, emotional betrayal, internet infidelity and others. This heterogeneity partly stems from the fact that each type of relationship-marriage, cohabiting, heterosexual, or homosexual-has its specificities in defining infidelity (Blow and Hartnett 2005b). ...
... This paper presents two studies that describe the development of a reliable and valid measure of predilection for infidelity among married people, based on the most common motivations that previous studies have brought to attention for this behavior. Such an instrument may be useful in couples therapy, either premarital, as suggested by a systematic review by Haseli et al. (2019), or later, when therapists face the partners' difficulties in talking openly about infidelity (Blow and Hartnett 2005a). A measure that reveals a predilection for infidelity and the reasons behind it could guide the psychotherapeutic intervention. ...
... The assessment of infidelity among the married population or the propensity for unfaithful behavior is currently limited by important aspects: most current measures of this concept are designed strictly for investigations related to a certain context, focusing on a single element/behavior (Blow and Hartnett 2005a) or most often addressing only sexual and/or emotional infidelity, such as the measure developed by Drigotas et al. (1999) which analyzes past infidelity. Furthermore, the intention to engage in extramarital behaviors is most often expressed in the existing scales by assertions that do not specify the nature of the behavior (Jones et al. 2011) or by indicating approval or disapproval of a continuum of extramarital behaviors, such as flirting, kissing, falling in love, sexual intercourse, and a long-term sexual relationship with someone other than their partner (Buunk 1980). ...
Most of the previously developed scales addressing infidelity were developed on young samples in dating relationships and with limited couple experience. The present study proposes an instrument to measure the proneness for infidelity among married people with substantial experience as a couple. Specific contexts described by the items, in which unfaithful behavior might occur, were selected from those revealed by previous research on people’s motives of past infidelity. Across two studies (N = 618) we examined the factorial structure and the psychometric characteristics of the Propensity towards Infidelity Scale (PTIS). Results revealed a one-dimensional structure of the PTIS and supported its reliability, its construct, criterion and incremental validity. PTIS emerged as negatively associated with two measures of adherence to moral standards, and positively related to past unfaithful behavior. Furthermore, the new instrument was found to bring a significant contribution in explaining these behaviors beyond two other scales of infidelity intentions.
... Nevertheless, a considerable number of people worldwide engage in non-consensual non-monogamy. Bearing in mind that different studies use different definitions of non-monogamy (Blow & Hartnett, 2005a, 2005b, it is estimated that non-consensual non-monogamy occurs in <25% of committed relationships in the USA. According to Luo et al. (2010), the prevalence of non-consensual non-monogamy can far surpass 25% depending on how it is defined. ...
... Men aged 40-60 years were most likely to report having had an extradyadic partner, and the likelihood decreased significantly among older men. However, as emphasized by Blow and Hartnett (2005b), as most studies are crosssectional, there is no way to decide if it is a development effect or a cohort effect. Even so, Kontula and Haavio-Mannila (1995) concluded that much of the sexual behavior change in Finland is a generational phenomenon. ...
... In their current marriage or cohabitation, less than one of five men and less than one of 10 women engaged in non-consensual non-monogamy, and about 2% engaged in consensual non-monogamy. Comparing these estimates to previous findings is difficult due to different definitions and operationalizations of "extradyadic sex" (Blow & Hartnett, 2005b). Even so, we would claim that the findings from this study largely support the findings of previous Norwegian studies (Traeen et al., 2007;Traeen & Stigum, 1998) as well as research from other countries (Hackathorn & Ashdown, 2021;Haupert et al., 2017aHaupert et al., , 2017b. ...
The paper sets out to study Norwegians’ experiences of non-monogamy. Data were collected by questionnaires in a web-sample of 4160 Norwegians (18–89 years). 26.3% of men and 17.8% of women reported that they ever had non-consensual non-monogamy. Consensual non-monogamy was reported by 3%. Compared to participants with no or non-consensual experience, consensual non-monogamy was highly related to relationship intimacy and positive sexual attitudes toward sex and sexuality. At the most recent extradyadic event, 21.5% of heterosexual men and 47.1% of gay/bisexual men reported condom use, which implies a risk for sexually transmitted diseases.
... Aldatma oldukça karışık bir konu olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Bu konuda klinik alanyazında oldukça fazla kuramsal düşünce olmasına rağmen, araştırma literatürü seyrek bir görünüm sergilemektedir (Blow ve Hartnett, 2005). Aldatma literatürünün azlığı toplumun aldatmaya ilişkin yaptırımları ile açıklanabilir. ...
... Evlilik dışı ilişkiler toplumumuzda sapkınlık olarak görülmektedir. Blow ve Hartnett (2005) aldatmayı metodolojik olarak ele aldıkları çalışmalarında; sadakatsizliğin tanımını iki kişi arasında üzerinde anlaşmaya varılan güvenin ihlali olarak kabul ederek, ilişkide sadakatsizlik olarak tanımlanabilecek tek davranışın açıkça cinsel ilişki olmadığını belirtmektedirler. Buna göre çiftlerin sadakatsizliği nasıl tanımladığı konusunda fikir birliğinin olmaması da ilgili çalışmaları güçleştirmektedir. ...
... Duygusal aldatma; kişinin mevcut ilişkisi varken başka bir kişiyle yakınlaşarak duygusal paylaşımda bulunmasını, cinsel aldatma ise yine kişinin ilişkisi varken başka biriyle cinsel ilişki yaşamasını ifade etmektedir. Bu ikisinin aynı anda olması durumunda ise hem duygusal hem cinsel aldatma kavramı ortaya çıkmaktadır (Blow ve Hartnett, 2005). Aldatma türlerine son yıllarda eklenen anonim aldatma ise son yıllarda oranı giderek artan tek gecelik ilişkileri ifade etmektedir (Amidon, 2007;Kantarcı, 2009). ...
Geçmişten günümüze evlilik ilişkilerinin en yaygın çatışma sebeplerinden olan aldatma olgusu, kimi zaman ilişkinin sonlanmasına kadar gidebilen yıkıcı etkilere sahiptir. Aldatma; toplumsal, kültürel ve dinsel öğretiler ile yanlış olarak etiketlense de görülme sıklığı oldukça yüksektir. Bu derleme çalışmasının amacı aldatma ve boşanma ilişkisini Bağlanma Kuramı perspektifinden değerlendirmektir. Çalışmada önce yetişkin bağlanma stilleri ve evlilik uyumu ilişkisi ele alınmış, daha sonra bağlanma stilleri ile aldatma eğilimi ve boşanma ilişkisi değerlendirilmiştir. Kuramsal açıdan bağlanma ilişkisi bebeğin bakımverenle ilişkisine bağlı olarak gelişmektedir. Bu bağlanma stilleri yetişkinlikte de etkisini korumakta ve yetişkin bağlanma stilleri romantik ilişkilerde dinamikleri, iletişim becerilerini ve çatışma çözüm stratejilerini belirlemede oldukça etkili konuma gelmektedir. Yetişkin bağlanma stilleri evlilikte aldatma eğilimini anlamlandırmada kilit noktalardan biridir. Ülkemizde aldatma konusuyla ilgili yapılan çalışmalar sınırlıdır ve bağlanma stilleri ile aldatma ve boşanma ilişkisini ele alan çalışma bulunmamaktadır. Çalışma, oldukça güncel bir konu olan aldatmayı bağlanma kuramı perspektifinden ele alması bakımından önemlidir. Çalışmada derlenen bulgular, evlilikte dinamikleri anlamlandırma ve çatışmalara çözüm bulma noktasında alanyazına ve uygulayıcılara izlenecek yollara ilişkin önemli bir perspektif kazandıracaktır.
... In a recent nationally representative sample of over 50,000 Americans, the acceptability of extra-marital sex (defined as a legally married individual having intercourse with someone other than their spouse) fell from 4% in the 1970s to 1% in 2012 (Twenge et al., 2015). Regardless of the reported attitudes, extramarital sex is relatively common, as approximately 25% of men and 15% of women report engaging in extramarital sex (see Blow & Hartnett, 2005). If one expands the definition of infidelity to include those who are unfaithful in dating relationships, prevalence rates increase to 30% (Hertlein & Piercy, 2005). ...
... Over and over, and deeply supported by studies in both evolutionary and socio-cultural theory (see Fincham & May, 2017), studies show that males are more liberal than females in their perceptions of infidelity and more likely to engage in infidelity. It is important to note that females are more likely than males to engage in emotional infidelity, whereas males are more likely to engage in physical infidelity (see Blow & Hartnett, 2005). Notably, these patterns are robust and tend to show up in jealousy-based reactions to infidelity, as well (Buss, 2018)each sex is more upset by the type of infidelity in which each is more likely to engage. ...
... Notably, these patterns are robust and tend to show up in jealousy-based reactions to infidelity, as well (Buss, 2018)each sex is more upset by the type of infidelity in which each is more likely to engage. That is, males are more upset than females by sexual infidelity, and females are more upset than males by emotional infidelity (Blow & Hartnett, 2005;Buss, 2018;Whitty & Quigley, 2008). ...
The current study examined relationships between sociosexual constructs and motivations for infidelity in a currently cheating sample. Members of the AshleyMadison.com website who were actively using the website to search for and/or engage in infidelity completed a brief anonymous online survey. Our findings supported previous research regarding emotional and sexual motivations for infidelity. However, we also found that various individual differences were connected to each type of motive. For example, sexual motivations for infidelity were best predicted by being male, having an unrestricted sociosexual orientation, experiencing less sex guilt, having greater Christian identification, and being less satisfied with the primary partner. Importantly, these were not the same patterns for each type of motivation (e.g., anger). Finally, participants’ satisfaction with their secondary (i.e., infidelity) partners was not consistently predicted by the motivations for infidelity. This suggests that an individual-differences approach to predicting issues related to infidelity is an important approach for future research.
... Infidelity is simply defined as breaking the rules of the committed relationship. In other words, infidelity is gathering any benefits from outside of the relationship and violating the norms determined by the partners in terms of exclusivity by engaging sexual or emotional behaviors (Atwood & Schwartz, 2002;Blow & Hartnett, 2005a). Infidelity behaviors may occur in a sexual or emotional context or a combination of both as well. ...
... Although it is stated that dating infidelity is a significant problem as well as in marriages (Hansen, 1987;Lieberman, 1988), shows similarities with the marriages (Thompson, 1984), and can be transferred into marriages (Drigotas, Safstrom, & Gentilia, 1999), little is known about the issues of infidelity among dating individuals, especially in Turkey. Blow and Hartnett (2005a) criticized the existing literature on infidelity due to its limited perspective by focusing generally on married individuals. Thompson (1984), as a pioneer study, included non-married cohabitated couples in his research and named behaviors that constitute infidelity as "extradyadic behaviors" and found that more than 40 % of women and men reported extradyadic involvements. ...
... Additionally, Roscoe, Cavanaugh, and Kennedy (1988) highlighted that the reasons for infidelity among dating individuals are quite similar to those in married ones. Blow and Hartnett (2005a) conducted a methodological review study on infidelity in committed relationships and emphasized that there is a critical diversity problem in the literature. They indicated that most of the studies are limited to married individuals and future studies need to include cohabitation, dating, and same-sex relationships. ...
This study examines to what extent commitment level of Turkish university students predicts their intentions and attitudes towards infidelity with the unique contributions of satisfaction, investment size, and quality of alternatives as the components of the Investment Model after some demographic (age and gender) and relational variables (duration of relationship) are controlled. The sample of the present study consisted of 403 Turkish university students (83.4 % female; 15.9 % male) who were in a current romantic relationship. The Personal Information Form, the Relationship Stability Scale, the Intentions towards Infidelity Scale, and the Attitudes towards Infidelity Scale were used for data collection. Convenience sampling method and quantitative correlational design was utilized for the present study. A Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), two seperate independent samples t-tests, a simultaneous multiple regression, and two seperate hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted for examining research questions. According to the results, men showed significantly higher intentions and more positive attitudes towards infidelity. On the other hand, no significant difference observed between men and women on the Investment Model variables. Additionally, satisfaction, investment, and quality of alternatives significantly predicted the commitment level of participants. Furthermore, commitment level of participants significantly predicted the variance in their intentions and attitudes towards infidelity (29.5 % and 14 %, respectively) with the unique contributions of Investment Model variables after the effects of demographic and relational variables were controlled. Results were discussed in relation to the relevant literature, implications and recommendations for practice and research were presented.
... In the United States, infidelity is relatively common and occurs in approximately 25% of married, heterosexual relationships (Blow & Hartnett, 2005a). Infidelity is often associated with significant negative consequences for individuals (e.g., decreased self-esteem, increased psychological distress; Blow & Hartnett, 2005b;Buunk, 1995;Cano & O'Leary, 2000;Shackelford, 2001;Wilson et al., 2011) and relationships (e.g., relationship breakdown; Garbinsky et al., 2020). ...
... The utility for narcissism to predict emotional infidelity could be attributed to the narcissists' low relationship satisfaction (Casale et al., 2020); a potential product of decreased attention and admiration over time (Gewirtz-Meydan & Finzi-Dottan, 2018). Given that low relationship satisfaction increases the chance of emotional infidelity (Blow & Hartnett, 2005a), and relationship satisfaction has been found to fully mediate the relationship between narcissism and intentions to be unfaithful (Altınok & Kılıç, 2020), logical connections can be drawn such that individuals with high levels of narcissism may be more inclined to be emotionally unfaithful. This result warrants further investigation. ...
Infidelity is a common problem in intimate relationships and is
often a main contributor to relationship breakdowns. The aim of
the current study was to extend the infidelity literature by differentiating between physical, emotional, and malevolent forms of infidelity, and exploring individual differences (i.e., gender and The Dark Tetrad of personality) that are associated with perpetration in these forms. The sample comprised 240 participants aged 18 to 67 years (Mage = 29.41 years, SD = 10.32; 76.8% women). People with higher psychopathy were more likely to engage in all forms of infidelity. High narcissism was predictive of emotional infidelity, and high sadism was predictive of malevolent infidelity. Interestingly, gender was only predictive of malevolent infidelity, with women more likely than men to perpetrate this form of infidelity. Exploratory analyses indicated that many of the associations between Dark Tetrad and infidelity were moderated by gender. Results of the current study may support researchers and therapists in differentiating between different types of infidelity (i.e., emotional, physical, malevolent). Further, these findings may contribute to the development of screening tools for therapists working who provide support for infidelity in intimate relationships.
... These social conditions favouring concealers (that is, lower promiscuity, high cost of being aggressed against and low cost of perpetrating aggression) are perhaps likely to have been met in ancestral environments. First, not all males are promiscuous, and some are very low in promiscuity [115][116][117][118][119] . Second, female intrasexual aggression can impose high and long-lasting costs on targets [108][109][110]120 , and by adopting typically covert and non-physical tactics, female aggressors are thought to be able to avoid the costs associated with perpetrating more overt and physical acts of aggression 21,23,26,30,47,51,121,122 . ...
... One of the limitations of the present model is that male strategies were programmed to be relatively simple. For example, we assumed for modelling purposes that males were either promiscuous (investing only in mate search) or not promiscuous (switching to investing in offspring after mating) [115][116][117][118][119] . However, in the real world, male mating and parental investment strategies are more nuanced and complex [123][124][125] . ...
After half a century of debate and few empirical tests, there remains no consensus concerning why ovulation in human females is considered concealed. The predominant male investment hypothesis states that females were better able to obtain material investment from male partners across those females’ ovulatory cycles by concealing ovulation. We build on recent work on female competition to propose and investigate an alternative—the female rivalry hypothesis—that concealed ovulation benefited females by allowing them to avoid aggression from other females. Using an agent-based model of mating behaviour and paternal investment in a human ancestral environment, we did not find strong support for the male investment hypothesis, but found support for the female rivalry hypothesis. Our results suggest that concealed ovulation may have benefitted females in navigating their intrasexual social relationships. More generally, this work implies that explicitly considering female–female interactions may inspire additional insights into female behaviour and physiology.
... However, the degree to which suspicion of a partner's infidelity relates to a person's psychological, physical, and behavioral well-being is not well known. Blow and Hartnett (2005a) argued that much of the research on infidelity lacks theoretical grounding, which is problematic because research conducted without theoretical underpinning often fails to give meaning to the observed relationships. However, transactional stress theory (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984, 1987) offers a possible framework for understanding the potential consequences of suspected infidelity. ...
... The study makes several contributions to our understanding of suspected infidelity. First, as noted earlier, much of the research on infidelity lacks theoretical grounding (Blow & Hartnett, 2005a). A strength of this study is that it tested a theory-driven explanation of the consequences of suspected infidelity based on transactional stress theory (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984, 1987. ...
Guided by transactional stress theory, this study examined the psychological, physical, and behavioral consequences of the suspicion of a partner’s infidelity. Survey data collected from 246 individuals revealed that suspecting a partner’s infidelity was associated with greater reported suspicion-related distress, depression, physical health symptoms, and risky health behavior. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses revealed that the relationship between suspected infidelity and well-being was indirectly affected by suspicion-related distress. The effects of suspected infidelity were particularly hard on those with higher beliefs in the importance of fidelity, a history of infidelity in the relationship, and higher relationship satisfaction. The findings show that the mere suspicion of a partner’s infidelity can have powerful psychological, physical, and behavioral consequences in romantic relationships.
... According to Waite and Joyner [7] , cheating or infidelity is a breach of the expectation of sexual exclusivity and unfaithfulness by virtue of being unreliable in a relationship despite the commitment to exclusiveness Cheating in marriage is synonymous with adultery, philander, an affair and infidelity that define uncommitted extramarital relationship. Blow and Harnett [8] , and Buss [9] agree that there is no doubt that cheating among couples exists, and but it has become a global extramarital practice that is destroying marriages. However, Brunk [10] posits that the trend varies according to orientations, cultures and social pressure. ...
This paper investigates the dimensions of emotive language used by women to situate their stances on cheating husbands in Calabar, Southern Nigeria. The data for the study were generated by means of non-participant observation and semi-structured interviews, aided by audiotape recording and field notes. One hundred married women constitute the representative sample from whom the data were elicited. Findings show that the participants used emotional language to establish different stances in discourses on adulterous acts of their husbands. The participants' stances are construed to be nuanced in religious, punitive, revengeful, sociobiological, reconciliatory and legal considerations. Participants' choices were influenced by the women's religious, gendered and sociocultural orientations, educational background and level of exposure, family and social pressure, personal safety and psychological state. These differentials connect the appraisal patterns with the consequences of each stance which should also serves as expository guide on the rational for such decisions by women on cheating spouses. The emotive outbursts by the participants stress the need for men to be faithful to their wives to sustain mutual happiness and peaceful marriages.
... Treatment often includes addressing contextual factors associated with infidelity (Fife et al., 2008;Snyder et al., 2004), such as a partner's reasons for engaging in infidelity. Even though there are studies on the treatment and healing for individuals and couples following infidelity Gordon et al., 2004;Gossner et al., 2022;Mitchell et al., 2021), empirical research literature on infidelity itself is sparse, with little that is helpful for practicing clinicians (Blow & Hartnett, 2005a). Even less scholarship has focused on the thought processes or decision-making of individuals who engage in infidelity. ...
Infidelity is a common reason couples seek therapeutic help as betrayed partners are often hurt and dismayed by their partners' decision to engage in an extradyadic relationship. Despite its common occurrence, there are very few empirical studies of the decision-making process behind infidelity. To address this gap, the current study used grounded theory, a qualitative approach commonly used to develop theories from participants' experiences, to explore men's processes in deciding to engage in infidelity. Analysis of interviews with participants (n = 13) resulted in a grounded theory of decision-making by cisgender men who participated in infidelity while in a committed, heterosexual relationship. The results suggest that the decision involves a continuous process of justification and rationalization. Major categories of the theory include the preaffair context, snowballing, motivated reasoning, and postaffair decisions. Clinical implications are also included.
... Infidelity can be a deeply distressing and complex issue within romantic relationships, requiring sensitive and effective treatment interventions to navigate the challenges and promote healing (Blow & Hartnett, 2005b). These interventions aim to rebuild trust, facilitate open communication, and address underlying issues contributing to the occurrence of infidelity (Young et al., 2013). ...
This research delves into the intricate dynamics of dating infidelity within the context of modern romantic relationships. By examining behaviors, motivations, consequences, challenges, and treatment interventions related to dating infidelity, this study offers a comprehensive exploration of this complex phenomenon. The findings reveal a spectrum of behaviors, ranging from emotional connections facilitated by technology to seeking sexual novelty and exploring relationships outside of primary partnerships. Motivational factors, including emotional fulfillment, sexual exploration, and dissatisfaction within the current relationship, emerge as key drivers of dating infidelity. The implications of infidelity extend beyond individuals, impacting relationship well-being and household welfare. Challenges such as communication breakdowns and unrealistic expectations hinder effective relationship dynamics. Treatment interventions, such as couples therapy, communication training, and strategies for rebuilding trust, provide a roadmap for addressing infidelity and promoting healing. This research enriches relationship science by offering insights into the evolving landscape of modern romantic connections and underscores the importance of open dialogue and communication to foster healthier and more resilient relationships.
... Of note, although monogamous relationships would seem to have clear relationship agreements, there is considerable variation in how individuals define monogamy, and up to one-third of monogamous adults report being sexually unfaithful to a partner (Green et al., 2016;Swan & Thompson, 2016). Definitional issues pose challenges to individuals as well as relationship researchers and clinicians, with little consensus regarding what constitutes infidelity across dating and committed relationships (Blow & Hartnett, 2005;McAnulty & Brineman, 2007). The prevalence of infidelity among ostensibly monogamous dating and committed couples and lack of research on how, when, whether, and why monogamous couples agree upon their relationship structure speaks to the need for more research on whether and how monogamous individuals and couples form explicit agreements. ...
Having a relationship agreement — a mutual understanding between partners regarding relationship and sexual behaviors both within and outside their relationship — has been linked with healthy relationship functioning. Yet research has been largely limited to sexual agreements among gay and bisexual men, with few studies regarding relationship agreement prevalence, types, and motivations among people of diverse sexual and gender identities and relationship types (e.g., polyamory, monogamy). This study sought to describe characteristics of and motivations for relationship agreements and examine associations between agreements and two metrics of relationship functioning: adaptive decision-making and satisfaction. In a cross-sectional online survey about sexuality, dating, and relationships among people of diverse sexual orientations, 722 U.S. participants ( M age 29.3, 48.9% cisgender women, 83.7% non-heterosexual, 34.9% monogamous) provided data regarding relationship agreements, decision-making, and satisfaction. Bivariate and regression analyses were used to examine individual and relational correlates of having an agreement as well as associations between agreements, deciding, and satisfaction. A large majority of participants ( N = 594, 82.3%) had a relationship agreement. Nearly two-thirds described their current relationship status as some form of consensual non-monogamy (CNM), with 41% having 2 or more current significant partners. Common reasons for making an agreement included building trust and honesty, protecting the relationship or partners’ feelings, managing expectations, and preventing HIV or STIs. Across participants, having an agreement — regardless of the type — was associated with higher scores on both satisfaction and decision making. Implications for couples/relationship researchers and therapists are discussed.
... Infidelity can be defined only depending on each couple's rules and boundaries. Some authors have defined infidelity as sexual or/and emotional behavior with another person exhibited by someone already in a committed relationship, and this behavior violates the agreement regarding sexual and/or emotional exclusivity in the romantic relationship [22]. In addition, the relational context is extremely important when defining infidelity. ...
Little research has been focused on offline or online infidelity in GL dating relationships, especially in a post-communist socio-cultural context. Infidelity–related (IR) behaviors on social media sites might be as hurtful to relationships as offline infidelity, both in gay, lesbian (GL) and heterosexual romantic monogamous relationships. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to examine the associations between dyadic satisfaction, attitudes toward infidelity, and problematic internet usage, with IR behaviors on social media sites among GL and heterosexual unmarried individuals in Romanian sexual minority communities. Results showed that GL respondents did not significantly differ from heterosexual participants regarding IR behaviors. Furthermore, we found the main effect of attitudes toward infidelity and problematic internet use on IR behaviors. Sexual orientation highlights the main effect of IR behaviors when analyzed with dyadic satisfaction. The current study may be a precursor to further research investigating correlations in online IR behavior among lesbian and gay individuals engaging in consensual nonmonogamy. Implications of the findings are discussed in the social context of a post-communist country where GL individuals may face discrimination and stigma because of their sexual orientation.
... However, it is most commonly characterized as short or long-term emotional and/or sexual involvement with someone outside of one's primary relationship (Brand et al., 2007). It can also be defined as a breach of trust or a crossing of the boundaries of the primary relationship (Blow & Hartnett, 2005) and is considered a violation of monogamy, which is perceived as unacceptable in Western culture (Fincham & May, 2017). Rayesh and Kalantar (2018) have observed differences between Muslim and non-Muslim behaviour regarding infidelity, with religion being a possible impact factor. ...
Introduction: Infidelity is a breach of trust or a crossing of the boundaries of the primary relationship and it influences intimate relationships. It can be categorised as either sexual or emotional infidelity. In Portugal, there have been few studies on this subject using suitable instruments. Objective: This study aimed to analyse the factor structure, psychometric properties, and gender invariance of the Infidelity Scale (IS) in Portuguese adults. Method: The sample comprised 660 Portuguese adults (455 women and 205 men) between 18 and 79 years of age who had been unfaithful in their relationships. Results: The confirmatory analysis showed a structure with two factors (sexual and emotional infidelity), and good values for convergent and discriminant validity were found. The results displayed a satisfactory model fit and the non-invariance of the factor structure between women and men. Conclusion: This is the first Portuguese version of the IS, an instrument for the study of intimate relationships which contributes to the development of multicultural research.
... It is difficult to put an exact estimate on rates of infidelity due to problems with research methodology, inaccurate reporting, and a lack of agreement on a definition for infidelity. 2 General categories of infidelity include emotional only, sexual only, and combined sexual and emotional infidelity. 3,4 In terms of sexual infidelity, one study found that 25% of married men and 15% of married women admitted to having had extramarital sex at least once during their relationship. ...
Erectile dysfunction ►Insomnia ► Migraine headaches ►Disclosure of infidelity.
... Relationship status also bears upon infidelity. In comparison to married couples, those who are dating or cohabiting report significantly higher rates of infidelity (Blow & Hartnett, 2005;McAnulty & Brineman, 2007). These differences are likely, in part, driven by level of relationship satisfaction and commitment. ...
Despite a tendency to form socially monogamous pair-bonds that carry expectations of sexual exclusivity, infidelity has been a recurrent feature of human mating across societies. The attitudes, social cognition, affect, and behavior associated with infidelity vary in patterned ways between women and men. In the current chapter, we use an evolutionary perspective to make sense of the historical and cross-cultural ubiquity of extradyadic behavior, as well the adaptive costs and benefits of men’s infidelity. Specifically, we review theory and research pertaining to men’s extra-pair mating and consider salient individual differences, romantic relationship dynamics, and social–ecological factors that influence mating strategies and extradyadic involvement. Following other scholars, we argue that men have evolved adaptations for short-term mating that facilitate opportunistic extra-pair behavior in a “quantity-over-quality” reproductive strategy. Consequently, on average, men are predicted to express a stronger desire to engage in sexual infidelity and to have more permissive attitudes toward extradyadic involvement than women. However, only particular men appear to execute a mixed mating strategy involving a long-term mate and an extra-pair partner, such as those with greater mate value. Satisfaction with and commitment to the relationship appear to be crucial in preventing men’s infidelity, and socio-ecological factors, including cultural dynamics (e.g., norms surrounding infidelity) and sex ratios that create conditions of mate scarcity, are inextricably tied to men’s extra-pair mating.
... While several predictors have been found to be associated with infidelity, the findings are often inconsistent (Blow & Hartnett, 2005a, 2005b. To address these inconsistencies, it is important to compare a number of factors in the same analyses. ...
Infidelity can be a disruptive event in a romantic relationship with a devastating impact on both partners’ well-being. Thus, there are benefits to identifying factors that can explain or predict infidelity, but prior research has not utilized methods that would provide the relative importance of each predictor. We used a machine learning algorithm, random forest (a type of interpretable highly non-linear decision tree), to predict in-person and online infidelity across two studies (one individual and one dyadic, N = 1,295). We also used a game theoretic explanation technique, Shapley values, which allowed us to estimate the effect size of each predictor variable on infidelity. The present study showed that infidelity was somewhat predictable overall and interpersonal factors such as relationship satisfaction, love, desire, and relationship length were the most predictive of online and in person infidelity. The results suggest that addressing relationship difficulties early in the relationship may help prevent infidelity.
... Indeed, an association between infidelity and strain even persists after controlling for marriage quality [8]. The prevalence of male infidelity in heterosexual couples ranges from around 20% to over 50% (e.g., [9]). Although infidelity has been reported to be higher in men than in women [10], some studies have questioned this perspective, revealing similar rates of infidelity for both genders [11]. ...
Background: Relationship satisfaction has been identified as an important factor in terms of extradyadic sexual involvement. However, in men, fatherhood might be associated with infidelity by leading to changes in relationship satisfaction and the social life of parents. To date, no study has focused on the association of fatherhood and infidelity, nor the influence of fatherhood on the association between relationship satisfaction and infidelity. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, 137 fathers and 116 non-fathers were assessed regarding relationship satisfaction, infidelity, and potential confounds. Results: Significantly more fathers reported having been unfaithful in the current relationship than non-fathers (30.7% vs. 17.2%). Fathers also reported longer relationship duration, higher relationship satisfaction, and lower neuroticism than non-fathers. Furthermore, fatherhood moderated the association between relationship satisfaction and infidelity insofar that only in non-fathers reduced relationship satisfaction was associated with infidelity. Conclusions: The results suggest that fatherhood increases the risk of engaging in extradyadic sexual activities and moderates the link between relationship satisfaction and infidelity. However, results need to be interpreted with caution due to the cross-sectional study design and the lack of information about the specific time point of the infidelity incident(s).
... t with the intention of enjoying relationships with other people so that needs of sexuality are fulfilled (even though it doesn't have to be an equal relationship). Regardless of the lens utilized to describe infidelity, clinicians and researchers would agree that it is a severe problem with significant consequences for couples (Atkins, et.al.2001;Blow & Hartnett, 2005;Fife et.al.2012). If infidelity is not problematic for relationships, it would not be responsible for numerous divorces and separations (Abraham,et.al.2001). Typically, people in committed relationships expect emotional and sexual exclusivity of one another (Treas & Giesen, 2004), yet infidelity continues to be a relatively common proble ...
This study is conducted to analyze the context of marital infidelity from novel Before I Go to Sleep and find out its negative impacts among married couple. The negative impacts which are being analyzed in this study are divorce, illness, loneliness, and emotional trauma. This study uses descriptive qualitative method because the process of the result and discussion are accomplished descriptively. The descriptive qualitative method is applied to explain the negative impacts of marital infidelity from the quotations in the novel. The result of this study is to find the implementation of marital infidelity that is still common among married couple; moreover, the implementation only brings a negative impact to one or both parties. The married couple needs to communicate continually to uncover any problem that appears as the time is passing by in order to avoid specifically divorce, loneliness, and emotional trauma.
... While several predictors have been found to be associated with infidelity, the findings are often inconsistent (Blow & Hartnett, 2005a, 2005b. To address these inconsistencies, it is important to compare a number of factors in the same analyses. ...
Infidelity is a common occurrence in relationships and can have a devastating impact on both partners’ well-being. A large body of literature have attempted to factors that can explain or predict infidelity but have been unable to estimate the relative importance of each predictor. We used a machine learning algorithm, random forest (a type of interpretable highly non-linear decision tree), to predict in-person and online infidelity and intentions toward future infidelity across three samples (two dyadic samples; N = 1846). We also used a game theoretic explanation technique, Shapley values, which allowed us to estimate the effect size of each predictor variable on infidelity. The present study showed that infidelity was somewhat predictable overall with interpersonal factors (relationship satisfaction, love, desire, relationship length) being the most predictive. The results suggest that addressing relationship difficulties early in the relationship can help prevent future infidelity.
It has been widely documented that infidelity is established as one of the main causes of relationship breakdowns. Likewise, the empirical literature has also revealed the association between anxious attachment and personal distress with unforgiveness motivations. However, there is no known research that has examined the role of anxious attachment to the partner, personal distress, and unforgiveness motivations in infidelity and even less, taking into account the perspective of the offended person. Through a correlational study (N = 304 Spanish participants from the general population [M = 26.25, SD = 9.62]), we examined the relationship between unforgiveness motivations (revenge and avoidance motivations for unforgiveness), anxious attachment to the partner, and personal distress experienced after a hypothetical sexual infidelity from the perspective of the offended person. The results showed that anxious attachment was positively associated with revenge motivation for unforgiveness and personal distress. Moreover, high levels of anxious attachment to the partner were only associated with higher avoidance motivation for unforgiveness through increased levels of personal distress. Last but not least, we discuss these findings and their possible repercussions for intimate relationships.
Romantik ilişkiler, insan yaşamının temel bir parçasıdır ve tarih boyunca insanların birbiriyle kurduğu en derin bağlardan birini oluşturmuştur. Bu bağlar, insanların duygusal, psikolojik ve sosyal gelişimlerinin önemli bir parçasını temsil eder. Ancak, romantik ilişkilerde karşılaşılan en karmaşık sorunlardan biri de aldatma olmuştur. Aldatma, birçok toplumda ahlaki olarak kabul edilmeyen bir davranış olarak görülse bile istenmeyen bir yaygınlığa sahiptir ve ilişkiler üzerinde derin etkiler yaratabilir. Bu derleme, aldatma olgusunu cinsiyet perspektifinden ele alarak, mevcut alanyazındaki boşluğu doldurmayı amaçlamaktadır. Aldatmanın sınıflandırılması, nedenleri, oranları ve sonuçları üzerinde cinsiyet faktörünün önemli bir rol oynadığı görülmektedir. Romantik ilişkilerdeki aldatma olgusunu anlamak ve açıklamak için cinsiyetin analizine yönelik olan bu çalışma, aldatma olgusunun derinlemesine anlaşılmasını ve bu sorunun çözümüne katkıda bulunmayı amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmada aldatma, sadakatsizlik, aldatmanın sınıflandırılması, aldatma nedenleri, aldatmada cinsiyet farklılıkları ve aldatmanın sonuçları detaylı bir şekilde incelenmiştir. Bulgular, cinsiyetin aldatma davranışlarını nasıl etkilediği konusunda bilgilendirici olmaktadır. Genel bir değerlendirmeyle kadınların duygusal yakınlık arzusu ve erkeklerin cinsellik bağlamında aldatmaya daha yatkın olduklarına işaret etmektedir. Aldatma oranları, cinsiyet bağlamında önemli farklılıklar göstermektedir. Yapılan araştırmalar, erkeklerin aldatma oranlarının kadınların aldatma oranlarına göre genellikle daha yüksek olduğunu göstermektedir. Aldatmanın sonuçları da cinsiyet değişkeni açısından önemli bir rol oynadığı sonucuna ulaşılmaktadır. Kadınlar, aldatma sonucunda daha fazla hayal kırıklığı ve kalp kırıklığı yaşamalarına rağmen ilişkiyi sürdürme konusunda daha affedici bir tutum sergilerler. Diğer yandan, erkekler daha sık olarak ilişkiyi sonlandırma eğiliminde olup, daha asabi davranışlara başvurabilirler. Aldatma olgusunun daha derinlemesine araştırılması, bu fenomenin toplumsal ve duygusal etkilerinin daha iyi anlaşılmasına yardımcı olabilir ve romantik ilişkilerde daha sağlıklı etkileşimlerin geliştirilmesine katkı sağlayabilir.
Marital infidelity, of whatever kind, causes serious conflicts in the relationship between spouses. Forgiveness is recognised as an important element in improving the relationship between spouses. It aids the conflict resolution process and increases commitment to the relationship. The aim of this study was to determine the determinants of forgiveness of infidelity in married people. A total of 373 people (339 women, 34 men), aged between 22 and 64 years, were studied. The study was conducted electronically using: Marital Forgiveness Scale (MOFS, Paleari, Regalia, Fincham, 2009; Polish adaptation Brudek, Steuden, 2015), Positivity Orientation Scale (Positivity Scale, Caprara et al., 2012; Polish adaptation Laguna, Oleś, Filipiuk, 2011), TIPI-PL (Ten Item Personality Inventory, Polish adaptation Sorokowska, Słotwińska, Zbieg, Sorokowski, 2014) and a personal questionnaire. The correlational analyses conducted showed a positive relationship between relationship commitment, relationship fulfilment, positive orientation and emotional stability and forgiveness in the subjects. The higher the level of forgiveness, the higher the positive orientation. The relationship between personality traits and forgiveness in people experiencing betrayal was partially confirmed. A positive relationship was shown at a weak level between benevolence and agreeableness and a negative one with conscientiousness. Fulfilment and commitment were shown to be significant predictors of forgiveness. The relationship between commitment and forgiveness is moderated by the trait conscientiousness. The adopted pattern of variables explains respectively 17% of the variation in the results of the forgiveness variable.
Cinema Studies is a comprehensive book that, is hoped, will provide students and researchers with film studies and other persons interested in cinema with a useful reference book on film analysis and, where relevant, the different discussions surrounding that. The contributors analyze some films using ideas and concerns from modernism, cinematographic narrative, ideology, propaganda, migration, nomadism, and the sense of revenge. The book provides new insights into films and turns the discussion towards recent research questions and analyses, representing and constituting in each contribution new work in the discipline of film text analysis.
Therefore, each chapter of this book, which consists of 9 chapters, consists of works that subordinate film, the art of imagination, to the holistic comprehension of social theory by transforming the visible and perceptible reality of the social world into a magical atlas of sealed moments. A summary of the chapters included in this timely book is discussed below.
Chapter 1, by Kenan Subasi and Alev Fatos Parsa, examines the technology of VR Cinema and 360 Degree Film, which is the extension of interactive cinema, focusing on the new media’s change, transformation, and opportunities. Authors examine the short film Refugee Crisis in the context of the 360-degree film; the position of the director, the part of the audience, 360-degree framing and orientation, dynamic narrative structure, and transformation from the audience to the user were evaluated in terms of form and content. Authors stress the fact that the VR cinema and 360-degree film technology is in a transitional phase today.
Chapter 2, by Sedat Cereci, evaluates cinema as an illusion-based technique and an approach with fascinating results. The author analyzes the effects of cinematic time on human psychology by focusing on cinematic time, which creates a fascinating impact on cinema. The author stresses the fact that the cinematic time reveals the turning points of the lives of the characters in the film and the connections with the theme of the film. The author also argues that cinema time is, in a sense, the magic stick of the director.
Chapter 3, by Burak Medin analyzes the narratives of animated films, which have become mass cinema by appealing to large masses, within a social, cultural, and ideological context based on the presentation of the heroic subject and its presentation to the audience. For this purpose, it was tried to show how the subject as a hero forms his journey, which discursive structures the hero takes place in, and how the hero is built in the narrative of the animated film. It was analyzed in the light of the assumptions formulated by taking sections from the film Cars, which constitutes the study sample, in the context of Greimas’s theory that he designed based on the subject.
Chapter 4, by Selcuk Ulutas and Murat Aytas, reveals the feelings created in the audience with the sense of revenge that drives the characters (affect) imaged through Chan-Woo Park’s Oldboy film and how they produce a cinematic experience as an aesthetic strategy. Authors determine that the director stylizes the sense of revenge throughout the film through many characters as a deep philosophical problem and as a morally impeccable-looking emotion that drives the narrative of the film.
Chapter 5, by Ahmet Oktan and Tugba Elmaci, explores migration, nomadism, and transgression of borders in the film Mondo. Authors discuss Gatlif’s approach to migration and nomadicity discussed in the example of the film Mondo. In this framework, the film is subjected to a philosophic.al analysis on the axis of concepts such as migration, nomadism, and posthuman subjectivity by authors. Authors stress the fact that Gatlif, especially in the subtext of the narrative, opened the phenomenon of nomadism to the discussion in the context of its philosophical expansions and carried this process beyond the experience of transgression between people and intercultural borders.
Chapter 6, by Huseyin Kose and Zeynep Baki, focuses on why keeping the political and ideological facts related to the state apparatus out of sight by focusing on a motif that has not been dwelled on extensively before but can be considered quite specific for Demirkubuz’s cinema. The authors present some clues to the invisible and uncertain functioning of the state and ideological phenomena in general and its possible causes through the images and metaphors in the movies of Demirkubuz, using the content analysis method. They attribute the main reason for this to the low awareness of the characters about social reality. Therefore, they state that their existential concerns precede the rules that govern the social world.
Chapter 7, by Burak Turten, focuses the documentary films produced from 1896 to the present, which express the date of the arrival of cinema in the Ottoman Empire, in the context of the ideological apparatus of the state. The main purpose of the study is to examine the recent ideological structure of Turkish documentary cinema based on the Akıncı documentary film. The authors stress the fact that Akıncı documentary film is compatible with the policies of the dominant political ideology and contains national and religious elements. The relationship between film and ideology is not only limited to the content of the film, but it has also been determined that the dominant power has a direct effect on the production and broadcasting processes of the film. Akıncı documentary film functions as the ideological apparatus of the state.
Chapter 8, by Asli Yurdigul and Yusuf Yurdigul, generally questions the function of news in the cinematographic narrative. The authors specifically focus on thinking about news from a cinematographic perspective by analysis of the film Contagion. In this study, in which the film analysis model was used, firstly the news scenes in the movie Contagion were determined and then the functions of these scenes in the cinematographic narrative and the features of these functions were questioned. The authors contribute to the limited literature on the subject by examining and evaluating two seemingly somewhat distant fields such as film and news.
Chapter 9, by Ali Karadogan, focuses on modernism between two worlds in the context of the film Time to Love which is a unique example of how it defies the rules of the industrial space within, representation styles, and narrative lengths of Turkish cinema. Author discusses this rejection of Time to Love which opposed the themes, representation style, and narrative strategies of the era by analyzing the film text and evaluating it in opposition to Yeşilçam.
I would like to thank in particular Karabuk University and Northern Arizona University for giving me the opportunity to contribute to the development of the cinema discipline. I especially thank Prof. Dr. Frederick DeMicco, who has created conducive and stimulating scholarly environments.
I am grateful to Dr. Muhittin Cavusoglu who compiled the index, for assistance. I also wish to record his enormous gratitude to Dr. Aysegul Acar who has worked tirelessly on this project, for her generous support, patience, and assistance throughout the process.
In conclusion, I would also like to thank all authors who contributed to the production of this essential and timely book. I believe the chapters included in this book offer useful and important information for researchers, students, and practitioners in the context of cinema
Editor
Burak Turten
Literature and psychology, which have different characteristics from each other, often try to study common issues. Both fields benefit from each other in terms of subject analysis. Just like in this regard, studies on the subject of deception, which are studied in both areas, are not considered sufficient in the literature. Studies in the field on the subject of infidelity are not considered sufficient and more factors that may be effective in infidelity are discoursed. The main purpose of this study is to examine the infidelity behaviors in the novel Anna Karenina written by Lev Tolstoy within the framework of psychoanalytic, attachment, schema theories, and risk factors. As a result, it was seen that risk factors such as attachment, psychoanalytic perspective, schema concepts, and gender corresponded to the examples of infidelity in the book. A similar result could not be reached with the duration of the marriage and the number of children, which are among the risk factors.
El concepto de infidelidad, así como los motivos que llevan a ella, han sido construidos por cada cultura y se han mantenido de generación en generación. Así pues, la infidelidad es resultante de una serie de regulaciones que cada cultura ha creado y ha ido transformando a lo largo del tiempo (Hunt, 1959), con existencia de similitudes y diferencias en la percepción del amor en función del sexo (De Andrade, Wachelke y Howat-Rodrígues, 2015; Álvarez y García, 2017). Tras una revisión detallada de la bibliografía referente a las pruebas para evaluar la infidelidad se determina la necesidad de crear un instrumento válido y confiable, que pueda ser auto o hetero-administrado y validarlo en población española. Se ha tomado una muestra de población con un rango de edad concreto y se ha pilotado una primera prueba, de la que se han extraído 5 preguntas de carácter general y trece específicas, para valorar la actitud ante la infidelidad propia y de pareja. Se ha estudiado a una población final de 472 sujetos, con edades entre 15 y 25 años, seleccionados de forma aleatoria, españoles o residentes en España de larga duración, de los que el 39% son hombres y el 61% mujeres. Los resultados han sido aceptables con α= .864 para infidelidad propia y α= .883 para infidelidad de pareja, KMO= .842; Bartlett p= .000. Se extraen tres factores y tres indicadores generales. En la población estudiada no aparecen diferencias significativas en referencia a la percepción de infidelidad propia y de pareja en función del sexo, orientación sexual y edad.
Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui strategi koping dan kesejahteraan subjektif pada istri korban perselingkuhan. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah metode kualitatif deskriptif dengan pendekatan studi kasus. Pengambilan responden dalam penelitian ini menggunakan purposive sampling. Adapun metode pengumpulan data yakni melalui wawancara dan observasi. Teknik analisa data yang digunakan adalah reduksi data, penyajian data, dan kesimpulan atau verifikasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa perselingkuhan yang dilakukan oleh pasangan merupakan stressor yang memicu timbulnya kecenderungan stres pada ketiga subjek. Respon distress yang dirasakan yakni berbentuk emosi, pikiran, perilaku, dan fisik dimana hal tersebut dirasakan ketiga subjek dalam rentang waktu yang berlainan. Dalam menghadapi perselingkuhan suami ketiga subjek menggunakan strategi coping jenis problem focused coping dan emotional focused coping. Hal tersebut dipengaruhi oleh faktor-faktor tertentu yang berada dalam diri masing-masing subjek. Sementara itu, evaluasi subjektif yang dirasakan ketiga subjek menunjukkan perbedaan. Subjek RM cenderung merasakan kesejahteraan subjektif yang rendah di awal terungkapnya perselingkuhan hingga saat ini. Kemudian subjek AN cenderung merasakan kesejahteraan subjektif yang rendah di awal perselingkuhan, namun saat ini telah mulai membaik (cenderung tinggi). Sementara itu, pada subjek SB dirinya merasakan sejahtera meskipun merasakan berbagi afek negatif karena perselingkuhan suami. Evaluasi tersebut dipengaruhi oleh kriteria subjektif yang dimiliki subjek SB dimana dirinya akan merasa bahagia dan puas jikalau anaknya merasa bahagia. Di sisi lain, hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa anak merupakan faktor dominan yang membuat ketiga subjek tetap mempertahankan pernikahannya.
L'infedeltà è uno dei temi più difficili da affrontare sia per le coppie che ne so-no coinvolte sia per i clinici che se ne occupano. Nonostante essa sia un fenomeno molto diffuso, la ricerca in merito rimane limitata. La complessità del costrutto rende infatti difficile la sua definizione. Questo studio ha l'obiettivo di sistematiz-zare le ricerche presenti in letteratura sulla definizione di infedeltà, sulle sue conse-guenze e sulle implicazioni cliniche. È stata condotta una revisione della letteratura scientifica degli articoli pubblicati dal 1987 fino ad aprile 2021. Dagli studi analiz-zati è emerso che i ricercatori, i clinici e la popolazione generale concettualizzano l'infedeltà in maniera differente e che le conseguenze di questa possono essere le più disparate e sono diverse per la parte tradita, per il fedifrago e per l'amante. È stato riscontrato che le coppie che rimangono insieme dopo un tradimento sono quelle che ne parlano e iniziano una psicoterapia. Non esistono modelli di interven-to evidence-based specifici per l'infedeltà, ma la fiducia e il perdono sono gli ele-menti centrali dell'intervento psicologico. Risulta necessario ampliare le conoscen-ze in merito e sviluppare degli strumenti specifici che permettano ai clinici di navi-gare in questo processo.
Attachment-focused narrative interventions used with religious couples of the Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) dealing with the effects of infidelity is discussed in this article. With religious couples, the couple attachment bond is commonly harmed after infidelity. The attachment bond with God can also be affected with one or both partners. Partners who once felt close and connected with God can feel angry and distant because of infidelity. Since the Abrahamic faiths are narrative-based religions, and an attachment bond with God is essential, attachment-focused narrative interventions can help couples re-story their relationship with each other and with God. Attachment-based narrative interventions are also illustrated using case-examples to help practitioners collaborate with religious couples to co-author new narratives and journey toward empowered futures.
Self-report research indicates that dishonesty decreases across adulthood; however, behavioral measures of dishonesty have yet to be examined across younger and older adults. The present study examined younger and older adults’ cheating behaviors in relation to their self-reported honesty–humility. Younger ( N = 112) and older adults ( N = 85) completed a matrix task where they had the opportunity to falsely inflate their performance. Participants also completed the self-report measure of honesty–humility from the HEXACO-PI-R. Older adults were significantly less likely to cheat and had higher ratings of honesty–humility compared to younger adults. Greater honesty–humility predicted lower cheating behavior. These results demonstrate that older adults show greater rates of honesty and humility compared to younger adults using both behavioral and self-report methods.
Infidelity is associated with negative effects on couples' relationships, yet some couples are able to overcome these and rebuild their relationship. Few studies have examined this process for couples who stay together after an affair. With a sample of 18 individuals (nine couples), this study explored similarities and differences between injured (i.e., partner who did not have the affair) and involved (i.e., partner who had the affair) partners' experiences across three categories of affair recovery: (a) commitment to the relationship, (b) dimensions of the attachment bond, and (c) healing process. Thematic analysis revealed similarities amongst both partners across categories: (a) frequent and quality communication, (b) mechanisms for rebuilding safety and trust, and (c) the importance of forgiveness. However, partners' experiences varied regarding (a) responses to needs for comfort, (b) their sexual relationship, and (c) responding to reminders. A discussion of these key findings and clinical implications are included.
Affair recovery is one of the most difficult presenting problems to treat in couple therapy. In the wake of an affair discovery or disclosure, couples present in treatment in great desperation, and unresolved issues related to the affair can plague some couples for many years. This chapter reviews the complexities of infidelity research and treatment including definitions of infidelity and the motivations or types of affairs, all within the landscape of technological advancement. The authors discuss how to conduct a comprehensive infidelity assessment and review a variety of treatment models to help clinicians more effectively help couples who choose to stay together in the wake of this significant relational betrayal. A common thread across models of affair recovery is that in order to rebuild trust and security, there must be sustained engagement around the difficult thoughts and emotions that arise and often drive negative interactional cycles in the relationships. While it can be a long journey, couples who are committed to each other and the process can not only heal, but can also potentially end up having a stronger, more authentic relationship.
A comparative case-study method grounded in phenomenology with the use of interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) demonstrated similarities and differences between two men’s experiences with engaging in extramarital affairs who were married to women in either a monogamous or a non-monogamous union. Despite the difference in their marital arrangements, both men were unfaithful to their wives and demonstrated similar themes in their lives, which included religious obligations, communication conflicts, loss of connection in marriage, deception, sexual restriction, absent fathers, compartmentalization of sexual behavior, guilt, and addiction. Differences included how men created boundaries, emotional connections with affair partners, power differentials, and sexual experiences.
Affair recovery is one of the most difficult presenting problems to treat in couple therapy. In the wake of an affair discovery or disclosure, couples present in treatment in great desperation, and unresolved issues related to the affair can plague some couples for many years. This chapter reviews the complexities of infidelity research and treatment including definitions of infidelity and the motivations or types of affairs, all within the landscape of technological advancement. The authors discuss how to conduct a comprehensive infidelity assessment and review a variety of treatment models to help clinicians more effectively help couples who choose to stay together in the wake of this significant relational betrayal. A common thread across models of affair recovery is that in order to rebuild trust and security, there must be sustained engagement around the difficult thoughts and emotions that arise and often drive negative interactional cycles in the relationships. While it can be a long journey, couples who are committed to each other and the process can not only heal, but can also potentially end up having a stronger, more authentic relationship.
Infidelity is an attachment injury as it shatters basic assumptions about one’s relationship. This study investigated the role of the attachment bond in affair recovery. Individual qualitative interviews were conducted with couples (both partners; N = 20) who stayed together after an affair. Thematic analysis revealed important aspects of the recovery process including ongoing communication, intentional bids for closeness, and a commitment to the healing process. However, perceptions of partner responsiveness varied amongst participants. These findings reflect new insights from the perspective of both partners about the necessary components of affair recovery. Clinical implications based in attachment theory are discussed.
Infidelity occurs in approximately 25% of marriages and is associated with various negative consequences for individuals (e.g., depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress), the couple relationship (e.g., financial loss, increased conflict and aggression), and the couple’s children (e.g., internalizing and externalizing behaviors). Infidelity is also one of the most frequently cited reasons for divorce. The increased stress brought on by the pandemic may be putting couples at an increased risk for experiencing infidelity and data collected during the pandemic have shown that people across the United States are engaging in behaviors that are associated with a high likelihood of experiencing infidelity. The negative consequences of infidelity are also likely to be exacerbated for couples during the pandemic due to the intersection with the social, emotional, and financial consequences of COVID‐19. Furthermore, couples are likely to experience disruptions and delays to the affair recovery process during the pandemic, which can negatively impact their ability to heal. Therefore, recommendations for navigating affair recovery during the pandemic, including adaptations for therapy, are also discussed.
Zusammenfassung
Wie hängen untreues Verhalten in einer Beziehung und die Zufriedenheit mit der Partnerschaft zusammen? Plausibel erscheint zunächst der Einfluss der Beziehungsqualität auf das Treueverhalten: Je unzufriedener ein Partner in einer Beziehung ist, desto eher sucht er oder sie Außenbeziehungen. Dies schließt jedoch nicht aus, dass sich die Partnerschaftsqualität oder deren Einschätzung nach der Untreueepisode aus Perspektive des Täters oder der Täterin ebenfalls verändern kann, z. B. aufgrund von durch die Untreue ausgelösten Konflikten und Ehekrisen oder um Gefühle kognitiver Dissonanz zu reduzieren. Anhand von Fixed-effects-Modellen auf Basis der Daten des Beziehungs- und Familienpanels pairfam über den Beobachtungszeitraum 2008 bis 2016 untersuchen wir beide möglichen Wirkrichtungen im Längsschnitt mit 1‑ und 2‑jährigem Abstand zwischen den Messzeitpunkten. Es zeigt sich, dass Wechselwirkungen zwischen den beiden Faktoren bestehen, wobei die Auswirkungen von Untreue auf die Beziehungszufriedenheit bei Frauen größer sind als bei Männern. Während der Zusammenhang von Beziehungszufriedenheit und Untreuerisiko eher gering ist, zeigt sich, dass das Risiko fremdzugehen deutlich ansteigt, wenn die Langzeitorientierung in der Beziehung sinkt.
In the context of increasing diversity and a rise in singledom across the globe, the couple relationship is still significant. An enduring preference for marriage persists, reflecting its symbolic importance. Good quality couple relationships have come to be characterized by positive affect, by the constructive management of conflict, and by healthy sexual relationships. Although good relationships enhance well-being, behaviours such as blame, emotional dysregulation and stonewalling do the opposite, and have a negative effect on health and well-being even into old age. Conflict is often triggered by inadequate income; poor couples are less likely to marry and when they do, their relationship is more likely to break down.
Infidelity is relationally defined. Each couple defines the boundaries between their relationship and other people, whether they choose to be monogamous or non-monogamous. However, boundaries are sometimes assumed and unspoken. Partners may not recognize the gray areas of infidelity until they experience a betrayal. What one person thinks is “no big deal” can be hurtful to their partner. What one couple thinks is wildly exciting, another couple might never consider. While open communication is key in clarifying and establishing expectations, negotiating these boundaries can be complicated. Vignettes from the authors’ clinical work illustrate how to assess and intervene with issues of infidelity and non-monogamy.
This study aimed to characterize the couples behavior practiced through social
media in Jordanian community. The sample of the study consisted of 100
convicted couples and couples with perspective issues.
For this purpose, a questionnaire was developed which composed of
demographic characteristics of the sample, information about the nature of the
relationship between the couples, reasons for betrayal, and the measurement of the
practiced emotional and sexual behavior.
The study concluded the presence of statistically significant differences in
practicing emotional and sexual behavior due to age variable. Moreover, revealed
the absence of significant differences in practicing emotional behavior due to
scientific qualification variable, but there was significant differences in practicing
sexual behavior due to scientific qualification variable.
Furthermore, it was found that there are no significant differences in
practicing emotional behavior due to gender variable, but there were significant
differences in practicing sexual behavior due to gender variable.
Finally, satisfaction by communicating with strangers was found to be the
dominant practiced emotional behavior, while expressing sexual desires was the
main practiced sexual behavior. Besides, the study disclosed that love of
adventure, religion weakness and search for the new were the major reasons for
the practiced behaviors.
Infidelity is a common phenomenon in marriages but is poorly understood. The current study examined variables related to extramarital sex using data from the 1991-1996 General Social Surveys. Predictor variables were entered into a logistic regression with presence of extramarital sex as the dependent variable. Results demonstrated that divorce, education, age when first married, and 2 "opportunity" variables - respondent's income and work status - significantly affected the likelihood of having engaged in infidelity. Also, there were 3 significant interactions related to infidelity: (a) between age and gender, (b) between marital satisfaction and religious behavior, and (c) between past divorce and educational level. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.
Using sexual exclusivity as an indication of commitment to a partner, we examine commitment within dating, cohabitation, and marriage. Employing data from the National Survey of Women (1991), we find that cohabitation, in terms of sexual commitment, is more similar to dating than marriage, and that cohabitation, relative to marriage is selective of less committed individuals. In addition, limiting our analyses to currently married women, we find that the characteristics emphasized in partner selection by those who cohabit before marriage differ from the characteristics emphasized by those who do not cohabit before marriage, and that these characteristics influence sexual exclusivity among prior cohabitors.
This study examined the extent to which inequity, normative disapproval and marital dissatisfaction were related to involvement in extramarital sexual relationships. The study was conducted among 82 married men and 132 married women with a mean age of 41. Of the sample, 30 percent had been involved in extramarital relationships. The results showed that among men as well as women, normative disapproval, and to a lesser extent, relational dissatisfaction were related to the desire to become involved in extramarital sexual relationships and to actual involvement in such relationships. Fear of contracting AIDS was not an important factor in this context. Only among women was inequity associated with extramarital behaviour and inclinations. The effect of inequity was independent of the effects of relational dissatisfaction, sexual dissatisfaction, normative disapproval and exchange orientation.
Extant evidence suggests that dating infidelity is a relatively common occurrence. Yet, despite infidelity's status as an unacceptable relational behavior and a prototypical relational transgression, there seems to be considerable variance in its relational impact. In this investigation, we use an identity management framework to argue that the method of infidelity discovery plays an important role in predicting subsequent relational outcomes. One-hundred fifteen college students who had experienced infidelity in a dating relationship completed measures assessing the method of discovery and the infidelity's impact on the relationship. The results generally support the utility of an identity management framework, but also suggest several potentially fruitful avenues for future investigations.
This study examined five sources of spousal and relationship costs that might facilitate heightened anticipations of seeking divorce as a consequence of spousal infidelity. Three separate data sources were employed. Fist, 214 participants reported their satisfaction with the marriage and their anticipations of seeking divorce as a consequence of spousal infidelity. Second, participants provided information on their spouse's personality and behaviors their spouse performed that upset them. Third, couples were interviewed by two interviewers, who subsequently provided independent ratings of each participant's personality, mate value, and attractiveness, as well as ratings of the quality of the couple's interaction. Greater anticipations of divorcing an unfaithful spouse were reported by women higher in mate value than their husbands; women married to emotionally unstable men; men reporting lower marital satisfaction; and women in couples displaying greater conflict during the interview. Discussion locates results within an evolutionary psychological perspective and addresses methodological issues of this study.
This research sought to identify cues to a long-term partner's sexual infidelity and emotional infidelity. In Study 1, 204 participants nominated acts that evoke suspicions of sexual or emotional infidelity. In Study 2, 230 participants evaluated these acts on how diagnostic each was of sexual and emotional infidelity. Factor analysis revealed 14 factors of cues, including Anger and Argumentativeness, Exaggerated Affection, Sexual Boredom, and Relationship Dissatisfaction. Twelve factors were differentially diagnostic of sexual versus emotional infidelity. Sexual Boredom, for example, was more diagnostic of sexual infidelity, whereas Relationship Dissatisfaction was more diagnostic of emotional infidelity. Men and women provided higher diagnosticity ratings for acts performed by an opposite-sex versus same-sex target. For ratings collapsed across sex of target, however, women provided higher diagnosticity ratings than did men. Discussion integrates results with previous research on infidelity and suggests important directions for future research on the cues to infidelity.
Gender differences in sexual jealousy have been the focus of earlier research; however, potential effects due to gender of the interloper have not been examined. In Study 1, college men and women rated their upset in response to same‐gender versus other‐gender sexual infidelity by a dating partner. Men found male‐female sexual infidelity most upsetting whereas women found male‐male sexual infidelity most upsetting. This gender difference was replicated in Study 2 using a different hypothetical scenario with students from a different university. These men and women also completed measures of religiosity, sex‐love‐marriage association beliefs, erotophobia/erotophilia, eroticization of same‐gender sexual contact, and expressed their degree of agreement with three different attributions regarding the larger meaning of one's dating partner having same‐gender sexual contact. The gender difference in response to the jealousy‐evoking scenario persisted after controlling for these variables. In Study 3, men and women were randomly assigned to one of four experimental vignettes in which gender of the interloper and gender of the person committing sexual infidelity were manipulated. Participants also completed measures of homophobia and gender‐role attitudes. The scenario depicting female‐female sexual infidelity was rated the least likely to arouse jealousy, and this finding was not mediated by respondent gender, homophobia, or gender‐role attitudes. Findings are discussed with regard to possible explanations and directions for future research.
In the current study, data from a nationally representative sample of 884 men and 1,288 women (1994 General Social Survey, Davis & Smith, 1994) who have ever been married were analyzed with regard to incidence, prevalence, and correlates of extramarital sex (EMS). Men were more likely than women to report ever engaging in EMS (22.7% vs. 11.6%, p < .00001), yet, after correcting the probability value for multiple tests, the apparent gender difference regarding the proportion of respondents who had EMS during the past year was not statistically significant (4.1% vs. 1.7%, p < .008). Interestingly, there was no gender difference in lifetime incidence among respondents younger than 40 years of age. Except for the oldest cohort, lifetime incidence of EMS increased with age for men, whereas for women there was an apparently curvilinear relationship such that lifetime incidence of EMS was greatest among those 30–50 years of age. Those who have ever been divorced, and those with greater attitudinal acceptance of EMS, had higher incidence of EMS compared to those who have not been divorced and those reporting greater disapproval of EMS. With regard to possible gender differences, men and women who denied ever engaging in EMS did not differ in their attitudes about EMS, just as men and women who reported having experienced EMS did not differ in their attitudes. The results are discussed in relation to previous research and unanswered questions left for further investigation.
Attitudes toward premarital sex, teenage sex, extramarital sex, and homosexual sex in 24 countries were compared. Challenging the simplistic notion that a permissive‐nonpermissive dichotomy is sufficient to describe variations across countries, the hypothesis that there are distinctive sexual regimes with different moral standards depending on the type of sexuality was examined. Cluster analysis reveals that there are six groupings of nations which have similar moral standards. However, a variance decomposition analysis also shows that all countries included in the sample share relatively similar attitudes toward nonmarital sex.
One of the most significant steps in early recovery from addictive sexual disorders is disclosure by the addict to his or her significant other of the sexual behaviors in which the addict has been engaging, usually outside the primary relationship. To learn about couples' experiences with disclosure, we prepared an anonymous survey, filled out separately by each partner. Surveys were returned by 82 sex addicts and 82 spouses or partners. Addicts had a mean of 3.4 years in recovery. Key findings:1. Disclosure is often a process, not a one-time event. Even in the absence of relapse, withholding of information is common.2. Initial disclosure usually is most conducive to healing the relationship in the long run when it includes all the major elements of the acting-out behaviors but avoids the “gory details.”3. Over half the partners threatened to leave after disclosure, but only one quarter of couples actually separated.4. Half the sex addicts reported one or more major slips or relapses, which necessitated additional decisions about disclosure.5. Neither disclosure nor threats to leave prevented relapse.6. With time, 96% of addicts and 93% of partners came to believe that disclosure had been the right thing.7. Partners need support from professionals and peers during the process of disclosure.8. Honesty is a crucial healing characteristic.9. The most helpful tools for coping with the consequences of sexual addiction are counseling and the 12-step programs. Disclosure, threats to leave, and relapses are parts of the challenge of treating, and recovering from, addictive disorders.
Randomly selected samples of practicing couple therapists who were members of the American Psychological Association's Division 43 or the Association for Marriage and Family Therapy completed a survey of couple problem areas and therapeutic issues encountered in couple therapy. Therapists rated problem areas in terms of occurrence, treatment difficulty, and damaging impact. A composite of these 3 dimensions suggested that the most important problems were lack of loving feelings, power struggles, communication, extramarital affairs, and unrealistic expectations. Comparison of the findings with therapist ratings obtained by S. K Geiss and K. D. O'Leary (1981) suggests considerable stability in presenting problems in couple therapy over the past 15 years. Therapist-generated characteristics associated with negative outcome were also identified, the most common being partners' inability or unwillingness to change and lack of commitment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Questions on sexual behavior that were added to the National Opinion Research Center's 1988 and 1989 General Social Surveys reveal that 97 percent of adult Americans have had intercourse since age 18. Respondents report having an average of about 1.2 sexual partners during the year preceding the survey and nearly 7.2 partners since age 18; men claimed to have had considerably more partners than did women. About one-fifth of adult Americans had no partners during the previous year. Moreover, over a year's time, only 1.5 percent of married people reported having had a sexual partner other than their spouse. On average, adults report engaging in intercourse 57 times per year. About two percent of sexually active adults reported being exclusively homosexual or bisexual during the year preceding the survey, and 5-6 percent have been exclusively homosexual or bisexual since age 18. Seven percent of adults are at relatively high current risk of contracting AIDS--three percent because they have had multiple partners, three percent because they have had unfamiliar partners and one percent because of their sexual orientation. However, 33 percent have engaged in relatively risky behavior at some time since age 18.
Randomly selected samples of practicing couple therapists who were members of the American Psychological Association's Division 43 or the Association for Marriage and Family Therapy completed a survey of couple problem areas and therapeutic issues encountered in couple therapy. Therapists rated problem areas in terms of occurrence, treatment difficulty, and damaging impact. A composite of these 3 dimensions suggested that the most important problems were lack of loving feelings, power struggles, communication, extramarital affairs, and unrealistic: expectations. Comparison of the findings with therapist ratings obtained by S. K. Geiss and K. D. O'Leary (1981) suggests considerable stability in presenting problems in couple therapy over the past 15 years. Therapist-generated characteris tics associated with negative outcome were also identified, the most common being partners' inability or unwillingness to change and lack of commitment.
One of the most stressful events for a helping professional who has been involved in sexual misconduct is disclosure of that misconduct to his or her spouse. Such disclosure usually precipitates a crisis in the relationship. Threats by the partner to leave are common, and fear of such threats may prevent disclosure. To determine whether fear of threats to leave is justified, this qualitative study investigated the outcome of such threats following disclosure of extramarital sexual behaviors by a subpopulation of persons with a compulsive sexual disorder; 24% were licensed health professionals, and 21% were other licensed professionals. An anonymous survey was returned by 102 such persons (89% male) and by 94 spouses, partners, or former partners (94.7% female). In most cases the extramarital sexual activities had been recurrent and long-standing, although secret, so that disclosure was particularly painful to the partners. Additionally, for some respondents, the initial disclosure was in the form of a legal action and was subsequently made public. A majority (60.2%) of the partners threatened to leave at the time of disclosure. Among persons who were still married when surveyed, only one-quarter (23.4%) of those who threatened actually separated for a time period. Most respondents emphasized that honesty was the foundation for an improved relationship. Based on their experience, the majority of both sexually compulsive persons (68.3%) and partners (81.4%) recommended disclosure. Threats to leave are seen as part of a process of coping with disclosure by partners rather than a realistic outcome for most couples in this population. Threats to leave the relationship in the aftermath of affairs or extramarital sexual activities are often not carried out, even when the betrayal has been extensive. Inpatient facilities and therapists in general are advised to assist the betrayed partner as well as the compulsive person with the disclosure as part of a process of healing. The spouses of sexually exploitative professionals are in particular need of counseling, as they have to deal with additional issues related to their community standing and expectations that they will support the professional publicly and hold the family together.
This study addressed itself to the causes attributed to extramarital sexual involvement, and the association of these causes with sexual jealousy. The results did not show any significant actor-observed differences; in general both spouses attributed their own and their partners' affairs to similar causes. Most frequently mentioned were situational factors and a need for novelty and excitement. Only one sex difference did show up: a need for sexual variety was more often attributed to males than to females. The attribution of marital deprivation and aggression were significantly related to jealousy. Among males, the attribution of a need for variety was linked to jealousy, while among females, perceived perceived pressure of the extramarital partner appeared to be an important factor. Other situational attributions were not related to jealousy. It is suggested that jealousy has a somewhat different meaning for males and females, and that this difference is typical for sex roles in general.
The study is designed to provide an understanding of extramarital sexual involvement through an analysis of middle class, middle-aged couples. A comparison is made between those individuals who have experienced a sexual affair outside the conjugal bond and those who have not. The following independent variables were utilized as a basis for this comparison: (1) opportunity for involvement; (2) perceived desire of others for involvement; (3) potential involvement; (4) justification of involvement; (5) marital sexual satisfaction, marital adjustment and involvement.
This study addressed itself to the ways people cope with extramarital relationships of their spouses. The sample consisted of 50 men and 50 women who had all known of such relationships of their marital partners. A factor analysis of a questionnaire for assessing coping styles revealed three factors: (1) avoidance of the spouse, (2) reappraisal of the situation and (3) communication. Avoidance was significantly more common among women and especially among women with a low self-esteem. Both avoidance and reappraisal correlated positively with neuroticism. Communication occurred more often among people with high marital satisfaction. Some implications for counselors and therapists are discussed.
This study investigated the extent to which reports of marital problems in 1980 predicted divorce between 1980 and 1992, the extent to which these problems mediated the impact of demographic and life course variables on divorce, and gender differences in reports of particular marital problems and in the extent to which these reports predicted divorce. Wives reported more marital problems than husbands did, although this was due to husbands' tendency to report relatively few problems caused by their spouses. A variety of marital problems predicted divorce up to 12 years in the future. A parsimonious set of marital problems involving infidelity, spending money foolishly, drinking or drug use or both, jealousy, moodiness, and irritating habits mediated moderate proportions of the associations between demographic and life course variables and divorce.
Three types of extramarital relations were investigated: (a) emotional (in love) but not sexual (intercourse), (b) sexual (intercourse) but not emotional (in love), and (c) emotional (in love) and sexual (intercourse). Forty-three percent of a sample of 378 married and cohabiting subjects indicated having at least one of the defined extradyadic relations. Subject attitudes and expectations differed depending upon the emotional and/or sexual nature of an extra relationship. Results revealed some sex differences, although male and female responses were generally more similar than dissimilar. Comparisons between the responses of subjects who were not extradyadically involved and those who were revealed information about the process of involvement in extra relations.
This study examined the conditions under which extradyadic sexual involvements are likely to lead to a breakup or a continuation of the primary relationship. The issue was investigated by comparing a group of 44 men and women who had all been sexually involved outside their marital or cohabiting relationships, and who had since broken up, with a matched control group of 44 people who also had been involved in such relationships, but who were still living with their primary partners. The results indicated that, compared to the control group, the breakup group reported a significantly higher level of relationship dissatisfaction; attributed their own and their partners' extradyadic relationships more to motives of aggression and deprivation; and mentioned a higher level of conflict generated by these relationships. Furthermore, the breakup group indicated greater disapproval of long-term extradyadic relationships. However, the two groups did not differ in the number of extradyadic relationships, the degree ...
Five national surveys collected by the National Opinion Research Center between 1973 and 1980 were employed to investigate the relationship between attitudes toward extramarital sexual relations and a group of predictor variables that included variables identified in previous research and a measure of size of community of present residence. The results indicate that size of community was strongly and directly related to extramarital attitudes, along with premarital sexual permissiveness, level of education, and marital happiness/status. The report closes with a discussion of the continuing importance of rural-urban differences in attitude formation within American culture and in the process of social change.
The focus of this paper is the insider's view of the dyad. A table is presented to aid researchers in the generation of dyadic study. The table illustrates the use of one or two informants and various targets of measurement. The discussion addresses the following issues in dyadic research: distinction between individual and relationship properties, clear conceptualization about the pattern between two people, consis-tency about the relationship as the unit of analysis throughout the research process, conceptual underpinnings of dyadic scores, recognition of diverse and valid per-spectives of the dyad, and empirical support for generalizing beyond a particular perspective.
The factors related to the occurrence of extramarital coitus (EMC) among persons whose marriages terminate in separation or divorce and the impact of participation in EMC on postmarital adjustment were examined. It was hypothesized that premarital coital experience, quality of marital sex, length of marriage, religiosity, and physical attractiveness would affect the occurrence of EMC. Additionally, tests were performed to assess whether participation in EMC increased, decreased, or had no effect on postmarital adjustment. The data are from a study of 205 individuals, separated no longer than 26 months, who completed in‐depth, face‐to‐face interviews about their marriage, its failure, and its aftermath. Most respondents who experienced EMC report that it was an effect, rather than a cause, of marital problems. Yet respondents tend to report that their spouse's infidelity was a cause of marital problems. Guilt is a significant by‐product of EMC for men and women, but men experience somewhat less guilt. Guilt is inversely related to satisfaction with EMC. Women report a significantly greater emotional involvement with their extramarital partners than men. Females who blamed their spouse or another person for the breakup of their marriage were significantly less likely to have had EMC, but no such relationship was found among males. Religiosity does not predict EMC, but among those who have had EMC, religiosity is positively related to how long after marriage EMC first occurred. There is no relationship between the presence or absence of EMC and marital quality at time of separation. Furthermore, EMC does not appear to be related to postmarital adjustment. Other variables such as marital quality, lifestyle attitudes, perceived consequences of EMC, perceived responsibility for family members, and perception of opportunity to engage in EMC need to be studied to further elucidate the occurrence of extramarital relationships.
Research literature in the field of extramarital sex (EMS) is reviewed. Initially, definitional problems which reveal the need for increased rigor in specifying the sexual behavior under consideration, the dyad or group outside of which the behavior occurs, and the consensual or non‐consensual nature of the behavior are discussed. Twelve surveys of EMS are examined and the limitations of incidence rate figures discussed. Empirical studies have attempted to identify key variables which discriminate between EMS and non‐EMS samples. The findings of this research are summarized according to four variable categories: social background characteristics, characteristics of the marriage, personal readiness characteristics, and sex and gender differences. Characteristics of the marriage and personal readiness characteristics are found to be of prime importance in understanding EMS, although sex and gender differences frequently qualify major empirical relationships. The attitude continuum of extramarital sexual permissiveness (EMSP) has received considerable research attention. Although premarital sexual permissiveness is the most significant correlate of EMSP, the tenuous results of research examining the attitude‐behavior (EMSP‐EMS) link demonstrate the need for new conceptualizations in this area. Finally, the conclusions of this review are presented in summary.
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A major purpose of this article is to present the beginning elements of a causal model of extramarital sexual permissiveness and thereby encourage future development of the understanding of this important type of human relationship. Our procedure involved using the National Opinion Research Center's General Social Surveys. Four of these surveys contained a question on extramarital sexual permissiveness (1973, 1974, 1976, 1977). We utilized all four years to examine and test out parts of our model but only the 1977 survey contained the full set of variables in our model. Our final trimmed path model contained nine variables. Other variables were examined and found wanting in some way. The data from the 1977 survey fit our model rather closely. We were also able to test the model with one variable missing using the 1974 NORC survey and found it held up quite well. Tests for interaction were undertaken and although no single variable seemed to require a separate model, there were some interesting specific interactions. In addition, six variables not included in the NORC surveys were suggested for inclusion in an expanded version of the proposed model. A typology of eight items was proposed as a Guttman scale measure of extramarital sexual permissiveness. Finally, suggestions were made for future strategic research and theory development in this area.
Divorce is a complex event that can be viewed from multiple perspectives. For example, sociological research has focused primarily on structural and life course predictors of marital disruption, such as social class, race, and age at first marriage (Bumpass, Martin, & Sweet, 1991; White, 1991). Psychological research, in contrast, has focused on dimensions of marital interaction, such as conflict management (Gottman, 1994), or on person- ality characteristics, such as antisocial behavior or chronic negative affect (Leonard & Roberts, 1998). One limitation of these approaches is that nei- ther considers the individual's perceptions about why the divorce oc- curred. Indeed, when explaining what caused their marriages to end, peo- ple appear to give relatively little credence to widely studied factors such as age at marriage or conflict resolution skills. In this article, we use a third approach to studying divorce—one that considers the subjective accounts of recently divorced individuals. Examining the accounts of divorced indi- viduals provides a useful complement to more objective methods and is necessary for a full understanding of the divorce process. This approach to
Qualitative data on Thai views of male and female sexuality and sexual behavior are examined in light of hypotheses that have emerged from an evolutionary perspective. The data were derived through focus group discussions and individual in‐depth interviews. In particular, we examined how Thai married adults consider men's and women's sexual natures to differ, what men and women seek in a long‐term mate, and views of spouse's extramarital sexual activities. In a number of key respects Thai views conform to standard evolutionary predictions. The analysis also illustrates how qualitative research techniques can generate useful data for assessing these predictions.
This study reports on the development of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, a new measure for assessing the quality of marriage and other similar dyads. The 32 item scale is designed for use with either married or unmarried cohabiting couples. Despite widespread criticisms of the concept of adjustment, the study proceeds from the pragmatic position that a new measure, which is theoretically grounded, relevant, valid, and highly reliable, is necessary since marital and dyadic adjustment continue to be researched. This factor analytic study tests a conceptual definition set forth in earlier work and suggests the existence of four empirically verified components of dyadic adjustment which can be used as subscales [dyadic satisfaction, dyadic cohesion, dyadic consensus and affectional expression]. Evidence is presented suggesting content, criterion related, and construct validity. High scale reliability is reported. The possibility of item weighting is considered and endorsed as a potential measurement technique, but it is not adopted for the present Dyadic Adjustment Scale. It is concluded that the Dyadic Adjustment Scale represents a significant improvement over other measures of marital adjustment, but a number of troublesome methodological issues remain for future research.
Anthony Giddens argues that late modernity is characterized by a democratization of intimate relationships and that gay men and lesbian women appear to be an expression of that movement. This paper is based on interviews with 20 New Zealand men – representing 11 gay couples – who discussed issues of monogamy, trust and sexual behaviour negotiations in their relationships. Overall, they had conventional notions of relationships, romantic love and monogamy that prompted decisions to discard condoms for anal sex as proof of their love for each other. They simultaneously believed that monogamy was not sustainable. Generally, the relationships were marked by ‘infidelity’ anxieties and a reluctance to disclose sexual encounters outside the relationship and to discuss or negotiate their possibility. These experiences serve as reminders to not assume that gay relationships are necessarily as democratic and open as Giddens suggests – pertinent when regarding the development of programmes aimed at reducing HIV transmission within relationships.
This study examines the relationship between differentiation and infidelity. Previous research in the field of infidelity indicates the persons who engage in infidelity may be more likely to triangulate other people into their relationship problems, thereby being less differentiated. The results of this study indicate a difference in differentiation level between monogamous and non-monogamous groups when controlling for duration in relationship and age of respondent.
Married persons completed anonymous questionnaires rating the extent to which they would feel justified having an extramarital relationship for 17 reasons derived from the clinical and research literatures. Men and women clustered these justifications similarly into four factors: sexual, romantic love, emotional intimacy, and extrinsic. Women approved less of sexual justifications and more of love justifications. Attitude-behavior congruence was demonstrated in the link between sexual justification and sexual involvement for both sexes and in the link between love justifications and emotional involvement for men. The data supported the observation that men separate sex and love; women appear to believe that love and sex go together and that falling in love justifies sexual involvement. Clinical implications include the importance of understanding the extramarital attitudes as cognitions and thresholds related to extramarital behavior. Research implications include the importance of assessing specific reasons including emotional justifications, assessing emotional involvement and sexual involvement, and analyzing for gender differences.
In an effort to make unequivocal the boundaries of infidelity, the present study used three infidelity scenarios (sexual infidelity, emotional infidelity, and the combination of sexual and emotional infidelity). Two other variables, gender of the participants and the extent to which they reported either few or several jealous tendencies, were included to generate a 3 × 2 × 2 independent groups design. Reactions of 317 undergraduate college students (165 women and 152 men) to the scenarios were assessed using both Smith and Ellsworth's (1985) six cognitive dimensions of emotion and a measure of emotional upset. A multivariate analysis of variance yielded significance for two of the main effects, the nature of the infidelity scenario and the gender of the participant. Univariate analyses indicated that women experienced more emotional distress over all of the conditions of infidelity, and, for women and men alike, conditions of infidelity involving a sexual component, whether alone or together with emotional infidelity, proved to be more upsetting than those involving only an emotional component.
Examined the relationships among marital infidelity congruency (as measured by the Vocational Preference Inventory), self-acceptance (as measured by the Personal Orientation Inventory), marital happiness (Wallace-Locke Marital Adjustment Test), and marital satisfaction (the Satisfaction with Spouse and Marriage form) in 32 female and 27 male marital counseling clients. Mean age of Ss was about 34 yrs; about 47% of Ss were involved in liaisons with coworkers as opposed to others (neighbors, strangers). Demographic variables also were examined. Number of liaisons engaged in did not correlate with age, age at marriage, or reported sexual satisfaction. Number of liaisons was related to lower levels of marital happiness and satisfaction, lower self-acceptance, and lower compatibility scores. Ss who had liaisons with coworkers appeared to have significantly more rewarding marriages than those who had liaisons with others. These Ss also had half as many extramarital liaisons and were married nearly twice as long as those having liaisons with others, suggesting that proximity and common interests, rather than needs for self-esteem enhancement or excitement, were motivating factors. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Explored beliefs regarding the interrelationship of sex, love, and marriage as predictors of extramarital sex (EMS) through face-to-face interviews with 45 married adults (aged 23–36 yrs). Expectations of monogamy and a core set of attributions regarding EMS were pervasive among Ss. Marital dissatisfaction or problems were often seen as the source of spousal EMS, and these reasons were viewed as the most upsetting to the Ss. The least upsetting circumstance surrounding spousal EMS was sexual activity without emotional involvement. The estimated likelihood that spousal EMS would cause harm to the marriage was high. Ss viewed sex, love, and marriage as negatively related to whether one believed either spouse would engage in EMS, or that such activity would be considered acceptable, yet positively related to whether a S would disclose EMS to their spouse and would want such disclosure themselves. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Provides an overview of the empirical research on the efficacy of marital and family therapy for schizophrenia; affective (mood) disorders; selected externalizing, internalizing, and pervasive developmental disorders of childhood; adolescent conduct disorder; marital distress and the prevention of divorce; alcoholism; adult and adolescent drug abuse; and various chronic adult, adolescent, and childhood physical disorders. Convincing scientific evidence supports the efficacy of broadly defined marital and family therapy for the treatment of many disorders, as well as its superiority to standard and individual treatments for certain disorders and populations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Virtually all American couples, married or cohabiting, expect sexual exclusivity of one another. This article asks why some people are sexually exclusive while others have sex with someone besides their mate. Previous research has linked personal values, sexual opportunities, and quality of the marital relationship to extramartial sex. This paper integrates these findings in a multivariate model that incorporates factors informing sexual decision making as well as demographic “risk factors.” Nationally representative survey data show higher likelihood of sexual infidelity among those with stronger sexual interests, more permissive sexual values, lower subjective satisfaction with their union, weaker network ties to partner, and greater sexual opportunities. With these factors controlled, gender differences are substantially reduced or eliminated, although racial effects persist.
Why does the frequency of marital sex decrease with marital duration? Does the probability of involvement in extramarital sex increase or decrease with marital duration, and why? I develop a theory to answer these questions. I apply the law of diminishing marginal utility and human capital theory to explain the basic observed decline in the frequency of marital sex with marital duration. Based on the above explanation, I develop a discussion on the relationship between marital duration and extramarital sex, and I derive two hypotheses, which are supported by statistical analyses of the National Health and Social Life Survey data.
The relations between adult attachment processes and sexuality were examined in a community sample of 792 young adults (327 men and 465 women) from the Niagara region of Canada. Participants completed questionnaires that included Simpson’s (1990) measure of adult attachment, self-reported physical attractiveness, erotophilia, and a variety of sexual behavior measures (e.g., number of sexual partners, age of first sexual experience, frequency of sexual behaviors in the past year, whether an affair had occurred in the past year, and consistent condom usage). The sexuality measures were factor analyzed to extract common factors. The results were modest, but a number of significant relationships between sexuality and attachment were observed. For example, people scoring higher on a secure attachment index perceived themselves as more physically attractive, whereas people scoring higher on an anxious attachment index perceived themselves as less physically attractive, had an early first intercourse (and more lifetime partners), more infidelity, and took more sexual precautions (e.g., condom usage). The results were generally stronger in women, with most of the attachment/sexuality associations in the full sample being driven by the results in women. Implications for understanding sexual variability, including high-risk sexual behavior, are discussed.
This study extends traditional sex roles to extramarital relationships in order to clarify sex differences in extramarital involvement and marital dissatisfaction. Both emotional and sexual extramarital involvement were studied, since women's greater emphasis on emotional intimacy was ignored in earlier extramarital studies which focused solely on sexual involvement. A purposive sample of 300 White middle-class men and women completed anonymous questionnaires about marital and extramarital relationships. Men's extramarital relationships are more sexual and women's are more emotional. Women involved in extramarital relationships report greater marital dissatisfaction than their male counterparts. For both sexes, those with combined sexual and emotional extramarital involvement report the greatest marital dissatisfaction. In sum, traditional sex roles that influence the expressions of sexuality and emotionality in premarital and marital relationships also appear to operate in extramarital relationships.
A model was constructed and used to generate hypotheses regarding situational determinants, motives, and restraints affecting extramarital decision-making. Statistically significant differences between males and females were found on factors influencing extramarital sexual relationships. It was concluded that men have a greater expectation of personal involvement, are strongly influenced by perceived payoffs, and are more likely to respond to what they regard as justifications for their behavior. Women are more responsive to risks which they see as more likely to occur and to be more destructive. Avoiding hurt for themselves and others is an important consideration. Counseling implications are discussed.
The Social Organization of Sexuality reports the complete results of the nation's most comprehensive representative survey of sexual practices in the general adult population of the United States. This highly detailed portrait of sex in America and its social context and implications has established a new and original scientific orientation to the study of sexual behavior. "The most comprehensive U.S. sex survey ever." âUSA Today "The findings from this survey, the first in decades to provide detailed insights about the sexual behavior of a representative sample of Americans, will have a profound impact on how policy makers tackle a number of pressing health problems." âAlison Bass, The Boston Globe "A fat, sophisticated, and sperm-freezingly serious volume. . . . This book is not in the business of giving us a good time. It is in the business of asking three thousand four hundred and thirty-two other people whether they had a good time, and exactly what they did to make it so good." âAnthony Lane, The New Yorker New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year
Although large numbers of clients approach marital therapists with concerns about extramarital behavior (ES), little has been written specifically about the implications of ES for practitioners. This paper uses a script theory framework to suggest why there are important attitude-behavior discrepancies concerning ES and how these differences may affect therapy. The authors also examine research findings concerning ES which do not support some widely held beliefs. This discussion includes a list of seven factors which therapist may utilize to differentiate diverse ES experiences and help couples clarify their values and intentions. Several case examples illustrate this process. Attention is also paid to the therapist's own values about ES and how they may affect therapy. ES emerges as a very complex phenomenon which requires a high degree of knowledge, sensitivity, and recognition of individual differences on the part of therapists.
While the role of individual characteristics has been examined for extramarital sexual involvement, the literature has yet to document personal factors associated with the termination of an affair. In doing so, this study examines the impact of a woman's sex role attributes ("masculinity") and attitudes toward sex (erotophobia-erotophilia) on her decision to terminate an extramarital affair. Masculinity was not related to affair length. The more positive a woman's attitude toward sex, the longer she continued the extramarital relationship. A further descriptive analysis suggests that this relationship may hold only for women in sexual affairs. The implications of these findings, methodological advances, and limitations of this study are discussed. Finally, recommendations for future research are explored.