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Cited by 206Marriage and Sexual RelationshipsAttachment and Relationship DynamicsFamily Dynamics and Relationships

Predicting sexual infidelity in a population-based sample of married individuals.

Whisman, Mark A., Gordon, Kristina Coop, Chatav, Yael·2007·Journal of Family Psychology
DOI 10.1037/0893-3200.21.2.320
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Abstract

Predictors of 12-month prevalence of sexual infidelity were examined in a population-based sample of married individuals (N = 2,291). Predictor variables were organized in terms of involved-partner (e.g., personality, religiosity), marital (e.g., marital dissatisfaction, partner affair), and extradyadic (e.g., parenting) variables. Annual prevalence of infidelity was 2.3%. Controlling for marital dissatisfaction and demographic variables, infidelity was predicted by greater neuroticism and lower religiosity; wives' pregnancy also increased the risk of infidelity for husbands. In comparison, self-esteem and partners' suspected affair were predictive of infidelity when controlling for demographic variables but were not uniquely predictive of infidelity when also controlling for marital dissatisfaction. Religiosity and wives' pregnancy moderated the association between marital dissatisfaction and infidelity.

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Crossref · 10.1037/0893-3200.21.2.320

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  • Of the 50 highest-quality risky sexual activity studies, 42 (84%) reported inverse relationships and none found a positive one.

    “Of the 50 highest quality studies, 42 (84%) reported inverse relationships [333–343] and none found a positive one.”

    From Religion, Spirituality, and Health: The Research and Clinical Implications (2012) · cites this paper as [335]

  • Extraversion, high neuroticism, low conscientiousness, and high psychoticism are positively correlated with engaging in infidelity.

    “Some research used the Big Five personality traits and found extraversion, high neuroticism, low conscientiousness and high psychoticism to be positively correlated with engaging in infidelity [76,79].”

    From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [76]

  • Neuroticism, prior history of infidelity, number of sex partners before marriage, psychological distress, insecure attachment orientation, and permissive attitudes toward sex are positively associated with infidelity.

    “Personal characteristics such as neuroticism, prior history of infidelity, number of sex partners before marriage, psychological distress and an insecure attachment orientation, as well as permissive attitudes toward sex, have been positively associated with infidelity [75,76,77].”

    From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [76]

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Authors
Whisman, M. A., Gordon, K. C., & Chatav, Y.
Affiliations
  • University of Colorado Boulder (US)
  • University of Tennessee at Knoxville (US)
ORCID
Venue
Journal of Family Psychology
Publisher
American Psychological Association (APA)
Published
2007
Volume
21
Issue
2
Pages
320-324
ISSN
  • 0893-3200 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1293
DOI
10.1037/0893-3200.21.2.320
OpenAlex
W2096938677
Cited by
206
References
19
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 53 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 17 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 14
FWCI
10.10
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Family Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH/DA46376; R01 MH49098)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01 MH/DA46376)
  • W. T. Grant Foundation (90135190)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Sexual Relationships
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
Keywords
sexual infidelity, marital dissatisfaction, neuroticism, religiosity, self-esteem, pregnancy, personality, married couples
MeSH terms
Adult, Cross-Sectional Studies, Extramarital Relations, Female, Humans, Male, Marriage, Middle Aged, Neurotic Disorders, Personal Satisfaction, Personality Inventory, Pregnancy, Religion and Psychology, Risk Factors, Statistics as Topic, Parenting

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