Infidelity in relationships has always been a universal problem and many researches have tirelessly focused their findings on this topic. However, there is little research done on whether or not infidelity is a cause or an effect of poor relationship quality in both dating and marital relationships. Because attitudes towards cheating in dating relationships and extramarital sex (EMS) continue to be negative, further and more specific research regarding why these actions occur, when ( before or after the relationship’s quality becomes poor), and how to prevent infidelity in a relationship need to be addressed.
According to the Associated Press’s Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 57% of men admit to committing infidelity in any relationship …show more content…
Fisher, and Arthur Aron in The Dark Side of Close Relationships II as “partner actions perceived as violating one’s expectations of relational exclusivity” (p. 176), which includes all types of infidelity and will be further defined later. Infidelity is also referred to as unfaithfulness, affairs, cheating, adultery, and extramarital involvement. The act of cheating can involve deviance and thoughts of betrayal, which help to define infidelity as a dark side topic. According to Spitzberg and Cupach, another theme of the dark side is that it probes into the repercussions of exploitation. Cheating on someone clearly exploits another person by taking the trust of another and using it to hurt and/or manipulate them. The dark side also reflects on the idea of violating expectations. When going into a relationship with someone exclusively (especially marriage), one expects exclusivity and honesty; however infidelity violates that expectation and thus, brings about the dark side of human relationships. This also relates to Spitzberg’s assumption that people go into relationships with different motives. For example, one might go into a relationship hoping to find love, while another might solely because he or she is looking for a specific gain and isn’t set on a long-term relationship, therefore being susceptible to
According to the Associated Press’s Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 57% of men admit to committing infidelity in any relationship …show more content…
Fisher, and Arthur Aron in The Dark Side of Close Relationships II as “partner actions perceived as violating one’s expectations of relational exclusivity” (p. 176), which includes all types of infidelity and will be further defined later. Infidelity is also referred to as unfaithfulness, affairs, cheating, adultery, and extramarital involvement. The act of cheating can involve deviance and thoughts of betrayal, which help to define infidelity as a dark side topic. According to Spitzberg and Cupach, another theme of the dark side is that it probes into the repercussions of exploitation. Cheating on someone clearly exploits another person by taking the trust of another and using it to hurt and/or manipulate them. The dark side also reflects on the idea of violating expectations. When going into a relationship with someone exclusively (especially marriage), one expects exclusivity and honesty; however infidelity violates that expectation and thus, brings about the dark side of human relationships. This also relates to Spitzberg’s assumption that people go into relationships with different motives. For example, one might go into a relationship hoping to find love, while another might solely because he or she is looking for a specific gain and isn’t set on a long-term relationship, therefore being susceptible to