HOUSTON — Most of us like to think of ourselves as faithful and committed partners, but new research suggests our fidelity might not be set in stone.
New research in Psychology Today looked at whether we would be more prone to cheat if we thought everyone else was doing it. Results suggested that learning about other people’s infidelity does make us more likely to stray.
The researchers tested couples in committed relationships. In one part, they were told about someone else cheating on a partner, then they were shown pictures and asked to rate the people as potential romantic partners.
The subjects who were told the cheating story responded yes to more photos. In another section, they were asked to chat with a research assistant. The ones exposed to information on cheating were more likely to try and meet up with the research assistant again.
The authors concluded that being exposed to cheating can normalize the behavior. They also admitted that there is a difference between expressing interest in others and actual infidelity.
However, according to Psychology Today, some researchers estimate the prevalence of infidelity at 70%, which is not great news for all the love birds out there.