Infidelity across the genders There is a significant amount of research on sex differences in jealousy, mate guarding, and responses to an act of infidelity, but there is little research focused on sex differences regarding other factors surrounding infidelity such as; what acts constitute infidelity, rates of infidelity, types of infidelity committed, and justifications for infidelity. It is important to study other factors surrounding infidelity because there are many stereotypes regarding sex differences in infidelity, but not many people look at the research behind those assumptions. First, let us define infidelity. Infidelity is the act of being unfaithful to a spouse or partner where it is assumed within the relationship that both
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One study aimed to get a more specific definition as to what constitutes an act of infidelity. In 1988 Roscoe et al. surveyed 258 undergraduates asking them what acts they considered to be unfaithful. What they found was that 57% of the undergrads considered dating/spending time with another to be unfaithful, 42% considered sexual intercourse with another to be unfaithful, and 40% considered other sexual acts (flirting, kissing, petting, and necking) to be unfaithful. What is important to note is that the behaviors associated with emotional infidelity were identified as unfaithful more often than the behaviors associated with sexual …show more content…
For instance, women considered dating/spending time with another and keeping secrets from one’s partner to be an act of infidelity significantly more than men. In contrast, men considered engaging in sexual activity with another to be an act of infidelity significantly more than women. In other words, women more than men consider emotional acts to be unfaithful, and men more than women consider sexual acts to be unfaithful. A more recent study done by Babin and Dindia (date), surveyed 732 undergraduate students about multiple factors surrounding infidelity. To look at the sex differences in what constitutes infidelity, it presented participants with a list of sexual and emotional behaviors and asked them to identify which ones they considered to be an act of infidelity. The results from Berta and Kiene’s study were remained consistent: once again, men cited sexual acts as being unfaithful more than women and women cited emotional acts as being unfaithful more than men. This shows that the results still hold true
One study aimed to get a more specific definition as to what constitutes an act of infidelity. In 1988 Roscoe et al. surveyed 258 undergraduates asking them what acts they considered to be unfaithful. What they found was that 57% of the undergrads considered dating/spending time with another to be unfaithful, 42% considered sexual intercourse with another to be unfaithful, and 40% considered other sexual acts (flirting, kissing, petting, and necking) to be unfaithful. What is important to note is that the behaviors associated with emotional infidelity were identified as unfaithful more often than the behaviors associated with sexual …show more content…
For instance, women considered dating/spending time with another and keeping secrets from one’s partner to be an act of infidelity significantly more than men. In contrast, men considered engaging in sexual activity with another to be an act of infidelity significantly more than women. In other words, women more than men consider emotional acts to be unfaithful, and men more than women consider sexual acts to be unfaithful. A more recent study done by Babin and Dindia (date), surveyed 732 undergraduate students about multiple factors surrounding infidelity. To look at the sex differences in what constitutes infidelity, it presented participants with a list of sexual and emotional behaviors and asked them to identify which ones they considered to be an act of infidelity. The results from Berta and Kiene’s study were remained consistent: once again, men cited sexual acts as being unfaithful more than women and women cited emotional acts as being unfaithful more than men. This shows that the results still hold true