According to the General Social Survey, men are more likely to cheat than women, with 20% of men and 13% of women reporting having sex with someone other than their partner while still married. However, the gender gap varies per age.
Research in the field of infidelity reveals that there are three distinct personality types correlated with a higher likelihood of cheating: sociopaths, narcissists, and lonely hearts.
Based on the data, women report the highest rate of infidelity in their 60s, but the rate goes sharply down in their 70s and 80s. Historic data suggests that men have always been more likely to cheat. But in the 1990s, the infidelity rate peaked among men in their 50s.
57% of men overall admit to committing infidelity at some point in their lives. 54% of women overall admit to committing infidelity in one or more of their relationships.
A cheating spouse is most likely to have an affair with a friend, a coworker, or even a neighbor, a growing amount of infidelity research shows. And wives may be even more likely to have an affair with someone in their inner circle than husbands are.
Research from the past two decades shows that between 20 and 25 percent of married men cheat and between 10 and 15 percent of married women cheat, according to professor Nicholas Wolfinger. Read more here.
Infidelity does not mean that the love is gone or never existed. The reality is that you can love someone and still cheat on them. In fact, many affairs happen in relationships that are otherwise very happy.
A 2015 study by the American Sociological Association revealed that women initiate 69 percent of all divorces in the U.S. Further, the same study found that college-educated women initiate divorce at an even higher rate of 90 percent.
Here's what we do know about the prevalence of cheating. A 2021 survey by Health Testing Centers polled 441 people and reported: a little over 46% of respondents in a monogamous relationship said they had affairs. nearly 24% of marriages affected by infidelity reported staying together.
These differing viewpoints can cause big problems in any relationship. The question as to whether cheating is ever justified is both an ethical and moral one. The general answer for most is, “no”, it is never okay.
Those high on conscientiousness are characterised by being organised, efficient, competent, and self-disciplined, whereas agreeableness is characterised by being trusting and forgiving, altruistic, and modest. The researchers then assessed which reason was the most likely to deter cheating behaviour.
Being insecure
Another reason why someone might cheat is because they are insecure. "Usually, in this scenario, the partner that wants to cheat is seeking out confirmation of their desirability," Winter told INSIDER. "And they use the reinforcement of a new person to bolster their own self-confidence."
An analysis revealed eight key reasons: anger, self-esteem, lack of love, low commitment, need for variety, neglect, sexual desire, and situation or circumstance.
It is no surprise, then, that marital infidelity is a leading cause of divorce.
Marriage has long been flouted as a health booster to couples, with those who tie the knot more likely to live longer and have fewer emotional problems. But a happiness expert has now suggested that it's men, rather than women, who benefit most from walking down the aisle.
Whether accepted or not, there is one fact that cannot be disputed. And that is that women initiate divorce more often than men on average. Numerous studies have shown this. In fact, nearly 70 percent of divorces are initiated by women.
In some cases, it stems from unmet needs in a relationship. Issues like lack of communication, boredom, and personal insecurities can fester when they're not fully addressed. If one partner feels like they're never listened to or respected in their primary relationship, they may look for that in another person.
Admittedly, sometimes people choose to cheat because they're in a bad relationship and want out. Sometimes they feel stuck because of kids, finances, social mores, or whatever. So they sneak around to get their needs for connection, intimacy, and validation met by someone other than their spouse.
Being in love with two people may be more common than some think. Studies show that many individuals worldwide identify as polyamorous, meaning they partake in relationships with or feel attracted to more than one individual at a time.
Also known as emotional-cheating, micro cheating falls under the umbrella of emotional infidelity and refers to small, seemingly insignificant things that a person can do that, while not explicitly unfaithful, can carry with them the hint of infidelity.
If there's one thing all cheaters have in common, it's poor impulse control. They are tempted by an opportunity and lack the emotional maturity needed to resist that temptation.