By Carol Church, Writer, Family Album
Reviewed by Larry Forthun, PhD, Department of Family, Youth, and Community Sciences, University of Florida
Another day…another tale of celebrity infidelity and divorce. It seems like these stories are constantly on the front page of gossip magazines. But how common is infidelity among the less famous among us? It’s a question that scientists have struggled to answer.
Now new research based on a large sample of about 20,000 young adults offers fresh insight on infidelity in dating and marriage. In their late teens and early 20s, these young adults listed all their past relationships and were asked whether they had ever cheated, or were cheating currently. Then, in their mid-20s and 30s, they were again asked whether they had ever cheated on their current partner.
About 20% admitted to cheating on their present partner at least once. Perhaps unsurprisingly, infidelity was less common among married people (13% of this group reported being unfaithful), those who were more religious, and those with children. Meanwhile, people who had been unfaithful before were more likely to cheat again. Those with a history of many short-term relationships were also more prone to cheating.
When it came to gender, younger women (late teens and early 20s) were a bit more likely to cheat than men of the same age. However, men aged 26-34 were more likely to be unfaithful than women in this same age group.
While magazines and gossip columns may serve as a reminder that cheating is all too common, there’s certainly no guaranteed way to know who will be involved in infidelity. This research did suggest, though, that marital satisfaction is key. To invest in the health in your relationship, communicate, enjoy new and interesting experiences together, and be open but respectful about any problems or concerns.
(Photo credit: Cheater by zinger. CC BY 2.0. Cropped.)
References:
Amadopalou, E. (2013). New facts on infidelity. Economics Letters, 121, 458-462. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.econlet.2013.09.025
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