Sexual and Emotional Aspects are Distinct Components of Infidelity and Unique Predictors of Anticipated Distress

Abstract

Although there has been a tremendous amount of research attention on differences in reactions to sexual infidelity and emotional infidelity, there is a lack of information available as to how the two constructs overlap with respect to actual behavior, how expectations for distress vary by behavior, and how sexual and emotional content influence expectations for distress. In order to address this issue, we asked participants to rate 50 behaviors on the extent to which each would constitute sexual infidelity and, separately, emotional infidelity. Participants also rated the degree to which they would be upset if their partner performed the behavior, which enabled us to determine the relationship between views of sexual infidelity, emotional infidelity, and anticipated distress. As predicted, ratings of sexual infidelity and emotional infidelity for the 50 behaviors were largely independent. In agreement with past research, ratings of emotional infidelity were stronger predictors of distress for women than for men, whereas ratings of sexual infidelity were overall stronger predictors of distress for men than for women. Furthermore, ratings of sexual infidelity were overall stronger predictors of distress than ratings of emotional infidelity for both women and men. However, ratings of sexual infidelity were overall stronger predictors of ratings of emotional infidelity for men than for women. The results generally support predictions derived from an evolutionary perspective, elaborating upon the existing understanding of sex differences in anticipated reactions to infidelity.

Romantic alternative monitoring increases ahead of infidelity and break-up

“…Specifically, the item used in analyses ask about “sexual relations” with another person while in the current relationship, which may not completely and accurately capture all relevant instances of infidelity for all participants. There is wide variation in the emotions, thoughts, and behaviors that individuals consider to be acceptable within a committed relationship (e.g., Wilson et al, 2011) and non-sexual aspects of infidelity are also important to consider (e.g., Kruger et al, 2015), though the current study is not equipped to differentiate. Underestimates may occur related to behaviors that are not “sexual relations,” but that people consider to constitute infidelity.…”

What feeds the green-eyed monster: sociodemographic and sociosexual determinants of jealousy

“…As the threat of losing a partner's commitment could be signaled by his emotional attachment to another female, we might expect women to be more concerned about their partner's emotional infidelity. This pattern of gender differences in jealousy was found in studies that utilize both verbal reports and physiological measures (Bohner & Wänke 2004;Brase, Caprar, & Voracek 2004;Buss et al 1992;Buunk et al 1996;de Souza et al 2006;Frederick & Fales 2016;Kruger et al 2015;Pietrzak et al 2002;Sagarin et al 2012;Takahashi et al 2006;Schützwohl 2004Schützwohl , 2005Schützwohl , 2007Schützwohl , 2008Schützwohl & Koch 2004;Wiederman & Kendall 1999). Furthermore, it was shown that the actual infidelity experiences produced even more pronounced sex-typical differences when memories of these experiences were activated (Bendixen et al 2015).…”

Revisiting the charmed circle: A reflexive examination of unanswered questions in the infidelity literature

“…When conceptualizing infidelity, many scholars distinguish between emotional infidelity, sexual infidelity, and composite infidelity in which emotional and sexual infidelity occur in tandem (Kruger et al, 2015). Women and men similarly define sexual infidelity (i.e., engaging in sexual activity with someone who is not one's partner), but there is greater variability concerning definitions of emotional infidelity (Guitar et al, 2017).…”