From fear and guilt: negative perceptions of Ashley Madison users

ABSTRACT

A common cultural norm in committed relationships is that of sexual exclusiveness. When this norm is violated, those involved are often perceived negatively. Recently, a website facilitating extradyadic relationships, AshleyMadison.com (AM), was hacked, and the personal information of the members was illegally disseminated. As a result of the large amount of accompanying media coverage, AM users have been negatively perceived and even openly mocked. The current study explored potential predictors for the negative perceptions (i.e. demonisation) of AM users using a large online sample. In a predominantly exploratory study, myriad variables were examined from both outside (e.g. just world belief) and inside the psychosexual (e.g. sociosexuality) literature. The findings indicate that the predictors of jealousy and sexual guilt both positively predict demonisation of AM users, above and beyond the other individual difference variables.

KEYWORDS:

• Infidelity
• attributions
• cheating
• Ashley Madison

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jana Hackathorn

Jana Hackathorn, PhD is currently an Assistant Professor (of five years), and the Experimental Psychology Graduate Programme Coordinator at Murray State University in Murray, KY. She is a social psychologist but predominantly studies the ‘darker’ side of relationships, such as infidelity, and the role of sexuality in relationship factors.

Jordan Daniels

Jordan Daniels, MS is currently a Master’s graduate of Murray State University. She is a social psychologist but predominantly studies interpersonal bias and perceptions. However, her specific research interests are in weight bias.

Brien K. Ashdown

Brien K. Ashdown, PhD is currently an Assistant Professor (of five years) at Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, NY. He is a developmental psychologist and his research interests are also vast. He predominantly studies bias across cultures, but is also interested in the role of religiosity and sex guilt in sex related factors (e.g. sexual satisfaction).

Sean Rife

Sean Rife, PhD is also currently an Assistant Professor (of two years) at Murray State University. He is a social psychologist and predominantly studies computer mediated social networking and relationship processes. Specifically, he studies help-seeking via social networking media.