The DOI matches its Crossref record; 62 of the 64 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Infidelity in Heterosexual Couples: Demographic, Interpersonal, and Personality-Related Predictors of Extradyadic Sex
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the relative importance of demographic, interpersonal, and personality factors in predicting sexual infidelity in heterosexual couples. A total of 506 men (M age = 32.86 years, SD = 10.60) and 412 women (M age = 27.66 years, SD = 8.93), who indicated they were in a monogamous sexual relationship, completed a series of questionnaires, including the Sexual Excitation/Inhibition (SES/SIS) scales and the Mood and Sexuality Questionnaire, and answered questions about, among others, religiosity, education, income, relationship and sexual satisfaction, and sexual compatibility. Almost one-quarter of men (23.2%) and 19.2% of women indicated that they had "cheated" during their current relationship (i.e., engaged in sexual interactions with someone other than their partner that could jeopardize, or hurt, their relationship). Among men, a logistic regression analysis, explaining 17% of the variance, revealed that a higher propensity of sexual excitation (SES) and sexual inhibition due to "the threat of performance concerns" (SIS1), a lower propensity for sexual inhibition due to "the threat of performance consequences" (SIS2), and an increased tendency to engage in regretful sexual behavior during negative affective states were all significant predictors of infidelity. In women, a similar regression analysis explained 21% of the variance in engaging in infidelity. In addition to SIS1 and SIS2, for which the same patterns were found as for men, low relationship happiness and low compatibility in terms of sexual attitudes and values were predictive of infidelity. The findings of this study suggest that, for both men and women, sexual personality characteristics and, for women, relationship factors are more relevant to the prediction of sexual infidelity than demographic variables such as marital status and religiosity.
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In the citing paper
“They found that perceived sexual compatibility and happiness in a relationship were significant predictors of infidelity in women, while age, marital status and the importance of religion did not significantly affect one’s proclivity for affairs.”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [82]
In the citing paper
“They also found that a stronger tendency to lose one’s sexual arousal when facing possible risks serves as a protective effect for engaging in infidelity.”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [82]
In the citing paper
“In their 2011 study, Mark et al., found that up to 22% of people engaged in extradyadic relationships [82].”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [82]
In the citing paper
“They found that perceived sexual compatibility and happiness in a relationship were significant predictors of infidelity in women, while age, marital status and the importance of religion did not significantly affect one’s proclivity for affairs.”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [82]
In the citing paper
“Interestingly, they found that experiencing sexual problems in their extradyadic relationship was less threatening for individuals with arousal difficulties.”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [82]
In the citing paper
“As can be expected, they found that higher levels of sexual excitation were associated with increased sexual risk-taking behaviors, particularly in men.”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [82]
In the citing paper
“An interesting finding of Mark et al.’s study was that sexual excitation did not predict involvement in infidelity for women [82].”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [82]
In the citing paper
“Women were found to be more likely to engage in infidelity when they were dissatisfied in their relationship or felt that they were sexually incompatible with their partner, which may point to the interconnection of sexual and relationship factors in increasing the possibility of infidelity.”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [82]
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Machiavellianism and sexual behavior: Motivations, deception and infidelity
Brewer, G., & Abell, L. (2014) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2014.10.028 · Cited by 126
Martins, A., Pereira, M., Andrade, R. S., Dattilio, F. M., Narciso, I. D. S. B., & Canavarro, M. C. (2015) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-015-0576-3 · Cited by 122
Metadata
- Authors
- Mark, K. P., Janssen, E., & Milhausen, R. R.
- Affiliations
- Indiana University Bloomington (US)
- University of Guelph (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Mark, Kristen P.
- Venue
- Archives of Sexual Behavior
- Published
- 2011-06-11
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 971-982
- ISSN
- 0004-0002 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-2800
- OpenAlex
- W2131215014
- Cited by
- 240
- References
- 64
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 28 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 33.18
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Archives of Sexual Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health
- National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01HD043689)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Sexual Relationships
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Keywords
- sexual infidelity, heterosexual couples, sexual excitation, sexual inhibition, negative emotions, sexual compatibility, relationship satisfaction, relationship happiness, religiosity, demographic predictors, personality predictors
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Courtship, Extramarital Relations, Female, Humans, Deception, Male, Marriage, Personality, Surveys and Questionnaires, Risk-Taking, Sexual Behavior, Sexual Partners, Social Values, Sex Distribution, Spouses, Heterosexuality, Young Adult
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