Extramarital Sex and Marital Dissolution: Does Identity of the Extramarital Partner Matter?
Abstract
Panel data from married adults (N = 1,853) in the General Social Survey, a probability sample of the adult household population of the United States, were used to evaluate (a) the longitudinal association between extramarital sex and marital dissolution 2 years later, (b) whether probability of marital dissolution differed as a function of the type of relationship people reported having with their extramarital sex partner, and (c) the degree to which these associations were incremental to participants’ level of marital satisfaction at baseline. Compared to people who reported not engaging in extramarital sex, those who reported engaging in extramarital sex at baseline were significantly more likely to be separated or divorced 2 years later. Furthermore, the association between having extramarital sex with a close personal friend and marital dissolution was particularly strong. These associations remained statistically significant after adjusting for marital satisfaction. Results suggest that the identity of the extramarital sex partner and the type of relationship a person has with him or her has important implications for probability of marital dissolution above and beyond the contribution of marital satisfaction.
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Women tended to judge behaviors as being unfaithful slightly more strictly than men.
“However, women tended to judge behaviors as being unfaithful slightly more strictly than men, which is in line with other research in the existing literature [17].”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [17]
Men appear to hold more permissive attitudes towards extramarital sex than women do.
“research has shown that men appear to hold more permissive attitudes towards extramarital sex than women do [17].”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [17]
Women tend to judge more behaviors as unfaithful than men.
“Men and women react to emotional and sexual infidelity differently, as research suggests that women tend to judge more behaviors as unfaithful, while men hold more permissive attitudes towards extramarital sex [17].”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [17]
Men hold more permissive attitudes towards extramarital sex than women.
“Men and women react to emotional and sexual infidelity differently, as research suggests that women tend to judge more behaviors as unfaithful, while men hold more permissive attitudes towards extramarital sex [17].”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [17]
Men and women react to emotional and sexual infidelity differently.
“Men and women react to emotional and sexual infidelity differently, as research suggests that women tend to judge more behaviors as unfaithful, while men hold more permissive attitudes towards extramarital sex [17].”
From Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences (2023) · cites this paper as [17]
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- Authors
- Labrecque, L. T., & Whisman, M. A.
- Affiliations
- University of Colorado Boulder (US)
- Corresponding author
- Labrecque, Lindsay T.
- Whisman, Mark A.
- Venue
- Family Process
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2019-07-09
- Volume
- 59
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 1308-1318
- ISSN
- 0014-7370 (ISSN-L)
- 1545-5300
- OpenAlex
- W2957323259
- Cited by
- 57
- References
- 29
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 49 · 2022: 2
- FWCI
- 1.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Family Process (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Marriage and Sexual Relationships
- Social Sciences › Demography › Family Dynamics and Relationships
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Keywords
- adultery, divorce, marital separation, friendship, marital satisfaction, marital stability, infidelity
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Divorce, Extramarital Relations, Family Characteristics, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Sampling Studies, Sexual Partners, Social Identification, United States, Spouses
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