1,395
Views
2
CrossRef citations to date
0
Altmetric
Original Articles

What is Infidelity? A Vignette Study on Norms and Attitudes toward Infidelity

ORCID Icon &

References

  • Allen, E. S., Atkins, D. C., Baucom, D. H., Snyder, D. K., Gordon, K. C., & Glass, S. P. (2006). Intrapersonal, interpersonal, and contextual factors in engaging in and responding to extramarital involvement. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 12(2), 101–130. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpi014
  • Amato, P. R., & Previti, D. (2003). People’s reasons for divorcing: Gender, social class, the life course, and adjustment. Journal of Family Issues, 24(5), 602–626. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513x03024005002
  • Auspurg, K., & Hinz, T. (2015). Factorial survey experiments. Quantitative applications in the social sciences: Vol. 175. Sage.
  • Baumeister, R. F., & Vohs, K. D. (2004). Sexual economics: Sex as female resource for social exchange in heterosexual interactions. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 8(4), 339–363. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327957pspr0804_2
  • Blow, A. J., & Hartnett, K. (2005a). Infidelity in committed relationship I: A methodological review. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 31(2), 183–216. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2005.tb01555.x
  • Blow, A. J., & Hartnett, K. (2005b). Infidelity in committed relationships II: A substantive review. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 31(2), 217–233. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2005.tb01556.x
  • Bozoyan, C., & Schmiedeberg, C. (2020). Zufriedenheit in der partnerschaft und ntreue: Ein zusammenhang, zwei richtungen. KZfSS Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 72(1), 1–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11577-020-00660-9
  • Bozoyan, C., & Schmiedeberg, C. (2022). The factorial survey experiment on “infidelity norms and attitudes” in the German family panel (pairfam). Pairfam Technical Paper No. 18. https://doi.org/10.5282/ubm/epub.92000
  • Brand, R. J., Markey, C. M., Mills, A., & Hodges, S. D. (2007). Sex differences in self-reported infidelity and its correlates. Sex Roles, 57(1–2), 101–109. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-007-9221-5
  • Broude, G. J. (1980). Extramarital sex norms in cross-cultural perspective. Behavior Science Research, 15(3), 181–218. https://doi.org/10.1177/106939718001500302
  • Brüderl, J., Drobnič, S., Hank, K., Neyer, F. J., Walper, S., Alt, P., … Wilhelm, B. (2020). The German family panel (pairfam): ZA5678 Data file Version 11.0.0. GESIS Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.4232/pairfam.5678.11.0.0
  • Brüderl, J., Schmiedeberg, C., Castiglioni, L., Arránz Becker, O., Buhr, P., Fuß, D., … Schumann, N. (2020). The German family panel: Study design and cumulated field report (waves 1 to 11): Release 11.0 Pairfam technical paper no. 1.
  • Buss, D. M., Larsen, R. J., Westen, D., & Semmelroth, J. (1992). Sex differences in jealousy: Evolution, physiology, and psychology. Psychological Science, 3(4), 251–256. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1992.tb00038.x
  • Buss, D. M., Shackelford, T. K., Kirkpatrick, L. A., Choe, J. C., Lim, H. K., Hasegawa, M., … Bennett, K. (1999). Jealousy and the nature of beliefs about infidelity: Tests of competing hypotheses about sex differences in the United States, Korea, and Japan. Personal Relationships, 6(1), 125–150. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.1999.tb00215.x
  • Cano, A., & O’Leary, K. D. (2000). Infidelity and separations precipitate major depressive episodes and symptoms of nonspecific depression and anxiety. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 68(5), 774. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.68.5.774
  • Carpenter, C. J. (2011). Meta-analyses of sex differences in responses to sexual versus emotional infidelity. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 36(1), 25–37. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684311414537
  • Cramer, R. E., Abraham, W. T., Johnson, L. M., & Manning-Ryan, B. (2001). Gender differences in subjective distress to emotional and sexual infidelity: Evolutionary or logical inference explanation? Current Psychology, 20(4), 327–336. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-001-1015-2
  • Cravens, J. D., & Whiting, J. B. (2016). Fooling around on Facebook: The perceptions of infidelity behavior on social networking sites. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 15(3), 213–231. https://doi.org/10.1080/15332691.2014.1003670
  • De Visser, R., Richters, J., Rissel, C., Grulich, A., Simpson, J., Rodrigues, D., & Lopes, D. (2020). Romantic jealousy: A test of social cognitive and evolutionary models in a population-representative sample of adults. The Journal of Sex Research, 57(4), 498–507. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2019.1613482
  • DeSteno, D., & Salovey, P. (1996). Genes, jealousy, and the replication of misspecified models. Psychological Science, 7(6), 376–377. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.1996.tb00393.x
  • DeSteno, D., Bartlett, M. Y., Braverman, J., & Salovey, P. (2002). Sex differences in jealousy: Evolutionary mechanism or artifact of measurement? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 83(5), 1103–1116. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.83.5.1103
  • Docan-Morgan, T., & Docan, C. A. (2007). Internet infidelity: Double standards and the differing views of women and men. Communication Quarterly, 55(3), 317–342. https://doi.org/10.1080/01463370701492519
  • Drigotas, S. M., Safstrom, C. A., & Gentilia, T. (1999). An investment model prediction of dating infidelity. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77(3), 509–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.77.3.509
  • Endendijk, J. J., van Baar, A. L., & Deković, M. (2020). He is a stud, she is a slut! A meta-analysis on the continued existence of sexual double standards. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 24(2), 163–190. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868319891310
  • Fincham, F. D., & May, R. W. (2017). Infidelity in romantic relationships. Current Opinion in Psychology, 13, 70–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2016.03.008
  • Frisco, M. L., Wenger, M. R., & Kreager, D. A. (2017). Extradyadic sex and union dissolution among young adults in opposite-sex married and cohabiting unions. Social Science Research, 62(1), 291–304. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2016.08.013
  • Glass, S. P., & Wright, T. L. (1985). Sex differences in type of extramarital involvement and marital dissatisfaction. Sex Roles, 12(9), 1101–1120. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00288108
  • Green, M. C., & Sabini, J. (2006). Gender, socioeconomic status, age, and jealousy: Emotional responses to infidelity in a national sample. Emotion, 6(2), 330–334. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.6.2.330
  • Guitar, A. E., Geher, G., Kruger, D. J., Garcia, J. R., Fisher, M. L., & Fitzgerald, C. J. (2017). Defining and distinguishing sexual and emotional infidelity. Current Psychology, 36(3), 434–446. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-016-9432-4
  • Haupert, M. L., Gesselman, A. N., Moors, A. C., Fisher, H. E., & Garcia, J. R. (2017). Prevalence of experiences with consensual nonmonogamous relationships: Findings from two national samples of single Americans. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 43(5), 424–440. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2016.1178675
  • Helms, L., & Bierhoff, H. ‑. W. (2001). Lässt sich Untreue durch Geschlecht, Einstellung oder Persönlichkeit vorhersagen? Zeitschrift Für Familienforschung - Journal of Family Research, 13(3), 5–25. https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-376463
  • Huinink, J., Brüderl, J., Nauck, B., Walper, S., Castiglioni, L., & Feldhaus, M. (2011). Panel analysis of intimate relationships and family dynamics (pairfam): Conceptual framework and design. Zeitschrift Für Familienforschung - Journal of Family Research, 23(1), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.20377/jfr-235
  • Jackman, M. (2015). Understanding the cheating heart: What determines infidelity intentions? Sexuality & Culture, 19(1), 72–84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-014-9248-z
  • Kruger, D. J., Fisher, M. L., Edelstein, R. S., Chopik, W. J., Fitzgerald, C. J., & Strout, S. L. (2013). Was that cheating? Perceptions vary by sex, attachment anxiety, and behavior. Evolutionary Psychology, 11(1), 147470491301100. https://doi.org/10.1177/147470491301100115
  • Labrecque, L. T., & Whisman, M. A. (2017). Attitudes toward and prevalence of extramarital sex and descriptions of extramarital partners in the 21st century. Journal of Family Psychology, 31(7), 952–957. https://doi.org/10.1037/fam0000280
  • Labrecque, L. T., & Whisman, M. A. (2020). Extramarital sex and marital dissolution: Does identity of the extramarital partner matter? Family Process, 59(3), 1308–1318. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12472
  • Lammers, J., Stoker, J. I., Jordan, J., Pollmann, M., & Stapel, D. A. (2011). Power increases infidelity among men and women. Psychological Science, 22(9), 1191–1197. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611416252
  • Leeker, O., & Carlozzi, A. (2014). Effects of sex, sexual orientation, infidelity expectations, and love on distress related to emotional and sexual infidelity. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 40(1), 68–91. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2012.00331.x
  • Luo, S., Cartun, M. A., & Snider, A. G. (2010). Assessing extradyadic behavior: A review, a new measure, and two new models. Personality and Individual Differences, 49(3), 155–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.03.033
  • Maddox Shaw, A. M., Rhoades, G. K., Allen, E. S., Stanley, S. M., & Markman, H. J. (2013). Predictors of extradyadic sexual involvement in unmarried opposite-sex relationships. The Journal of Sex Research, 50(6), 598–610. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2012.666816
  • Moreno, N., & Kahumoku-Fessler, E. P. (2018). Understanding infidelity: How perceptions of infidelity behaviors vary by sex and one’s own infidelity experiences. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 46(2), 107–121. https://doi.org/10.1080/01926187.2018.1441760
  • Munsch, C. L. (2012). The science of two-timing: The state of infidelity research. Sociology Compass, 6(1), 46–59. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1751-9020.2011.00434.x
  • Nannini, D. K., & Meyers, L. S. (2000). Jealousy in sexual and emotional infidelity: An alternative to the evolutionary explanation. The Journal of Sex Research, 37(2), 117–122. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490009552028
  • Negash, S., Veldorale-Brogan, A., Kimber, S. B., & Fincham, F. D. (2017). Predictors of extradyadic sex among young adults in heterosexual dating relationships: A multivariate approach. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 34(2), 153–172. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2016.1219334
  • Negy, C., Plaza, D., Reig-Ferrer, A., & Fernandez-Pascual, M. D. (2018). Is viewing sexually explicit material cheating on your partner? A comparison between the United States and Spain. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 47(3), 737–745. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-017-1125-z
  • Oberle, C. D., Dooley, A. A., & Nagurney, A. J. (2017). Predicting perceived infidelity from gender and interpersonal traits. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 32(1), 89–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2016.1196290
  • Oliver, M. B., & Hyde, J. S. (1993). Gender differences in sexuality: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 114(1), 29–51. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.114.1.29
  • Pairfam group. (2020). The German family panel (pairfam) anchor codebook wave 11, Release 11.0. GESIS Data Archive, Leipniz Institute for the Social Science.
  • Potarca, G. (2017). Does the internet affect assortative mating? Evidence from the U.S. and Germany. Social Science Research, 61, 278–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2016.06.019
  • Previti, D., & Amato, P. R. (2004). Is infidelity a cause or a consequence of poor marital quality? Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 21(2), 217–230. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407504041384
  • Rossi, P. H. (1979). Vignette analysis: Uncovering the normative structure of complex judgments. In R. K. Merton, J. Coleman, & P. F. Lazarsfeld (Eds.), Qualitative and quantitative social research: Papers in honor of Paul F. Lazarsfeld (pp. 176–186). Free Press.
  • Sabini, J., & Green, M. C. (2004). Emotional responses to sexual and emotional infidelity: Constants and differences across genders, samples, and methods. Personality & Social Psychology Bulletin, 30(11), 1375–1388. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167204264012
  • Sharpe, D. I., Walters, A. S., & Goren, M. J. (2013). Effect of cheating experience on attitudes toward infidelity. Sexuality & Culture, 17(4), 643–658. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-013-9169-2
  • Shrout, M. R., & Weigel, D. J. (2018). Infidelity’s aftermath: Appraisals, mental health, and health-compromising behaviors following a partner’s infidelity. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 35(8), 1067–1091. https://doi.org/10.1177/0265407517704091
  • Shrout, M. R., & Weigel, D. J. (2020). Coping with infidelity: The moderating role of self-esteem. Personality and Individual Differences, 154(3), 109631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2019.109631
  • Silva, A., Saraiva, M., Albuquerque, P. B., & Arantes, J. (2017). Relationship quality influences attitudes toward and perceptions of infidelity. Personal Relationships, 24(4), 718–728. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12205
  • Sizemore, K. M., & Olmstead, S. B. (2017). Willingness to engage in consensual nonmonogamy among emerging adults: A structural equation analysis of sexual identity, casual sex attitudes, and gender. The Journal of Sex Research, 54(9), 1106–1117. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2016.1243200
  • Stephens, A. K., & Emmers-Sommer, T. M. (2020). Adults’ identities, attitudes, and orientations concerning consensual non-monogamy. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 17(3), 469–485. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-019-00409-w
  • Thompson, A. P. (1984). Emotional and sexual components of extramarital relations. Journal of Marriage and Family, 46(1), 35–42. https://doi.org/10.2307/351861
  • Thompson, A. E., & O’Sullivan, L. F. (2016). Drawing the line: The development of a comprehensive assessment of infidelity judgments. The Journal of Sex Research, 53(8), 910–926. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2015.1062840
  • Thompson, A. E., Moore, E. A., Haedtke, K., & Karst, A. T. (2020). Assessing implicit associations with consensual non-monogamy among U.S. early emerging adults: An application of the single-target implicit association test. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(8), 2813–2828. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-020-01625-x
  • Thornton, V., & Nagurney, A. J. (2011). What is infidelity? Perceptions based on biological sex and personality. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 4, 51–58. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S16876
  • Toplu-Demirtaş, E., & Fincham, F. D. (2018). Dating infidelity in Turkish couples: The role of attitudes and intentions. The Journal of Sex Research, 55(2), 252–262. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2017.1365110
  • Traeen, B., & Martinussen, M. (2008). Extradyadic activity in a random sample of Norwegian couples. The Journal of Sex Research, 45(4), 319–328. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490802398324
  • Urganci, B., & Sakman, E. (2019). Perceptions of infidelity. In T. K. Shackelford & V. A. Weekes-Shackelford (Eds.), Encyclopedia of evolutionary psychological science (pp. 1–3). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1805-1
  • Varga, C. M., Gee, C. B., & Munro, G. (2011). The effects of sample characteristics and experience with infidelity on romantic jealousy. Sex Roles, 65(11–12), 854–866. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-011-0048-8
  • Vossler, A., & Moller, N. P. (2020). Internet affairs: Partners’ perceptions and experiences of Internet infidelity. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 46(1), 67–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/0092623X.2019.1654577
  • Weinberg, M. S., Lottes, I., & Shaver, F. M. (2000). Sociocultural correlates of permissive sexual attitudes: A test of Reiss’s hypotheses about Sweden and the United States. The Journal of Sex Research, 37(1), 44–52. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224490009552019
  • Weiser, D. A., Lalasz, C. B., Weigel, D. J., & Evans, W. P. (2014). A prototype analysis of infidelity. Personal Relationships, 21(4), 655–675. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12056
  • Wenger, M. R., & Frisco, M. L. (2020). Extradyadic sex and psychological distress among married and cohabiting young adults: An examination of internalized and externalized responses. Journal of Family Issues, 35(4), 0192513X2092776. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X20927766
  • Whitty, M. T. (2003). Pushing the wrong buttons: Men’s and women’s attitudes toward online and offline infidelity. Cyberpsychology & Behavior: The Impact of the Internet, Multimedia and Virtual Reality on Behavior and Society, 6(6), 569–579. https://doi.org/10.1089/109493103322725342
  • Whitty, M. T. (2005). The realness of cybercheating: Men’s and women’s representations of unfaithful Internet relationships. Social Science Computer Review, 23(1), 57–67. https://doi.org/10.1177/0894439304271536
  • Whitty, M. T., & Quigley, L. ‑. L. (2008). Emotional and sexual infidelity offline and in cyberspace. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 34(4), 461–468. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-0606.2008.00088.x
  • Wilson, K., Mattingly, B. A., Clark, E. M., Weidler, D. J., & Bequette, A. W. (2011). The gray area: Exploring attitudes toward infidelity and the development of the Perceptions of Dating Infidelity Scale. Journal of Social Psychology, 151(1), 63–86. https://doi.org/10.1080/00224540903366750
  • Zhang, N., Parish, W. L., Huang, Y., & Pan, S. (2012). Sexual infidelity in China: Prevalence and gender-specific correlates. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 41(4), 861–873. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-012-9930-x

Reprints and Corporate Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

To request a reprint or corporate permissions for this article, please click on the relevant link below:

Academic Permissions

Please note: Selecting permissions does not provide access to the full text of the article, please see our help page How do I view content?

Obtain permissions instantly via Rightslink by clicking on the button below:

If you are unable to obtain permissions via Rightslink, please complete and submit this Permissions form. For more information, please visit our Permissions help page.