Who is sexually faithful? Own and partner personality traits as predictors of infidelity

Abstract

Infidelity can have harmful consequences for all those involved. Although prior research has demonstrated some reliable associations between certain personality traits and infidelity, the associations between other personality traits and infidelity are less clear. Moreover, prior research has been limited in addressing the role of partner personality and whether any effects are independent of relationship satisfaction. Thus, we pooled data from two 3-year longitudinal studies of newlywed couples to examine the associations between both couple members’ personality (Big Five and narcissism) and infidelity, controlling and not controlling for marital satisfaction. Wives high (versus low) in extraversion and husbands and wives with partners high (versus low) in neuroticism or extraversion were more likely to engage in infidelity regardless of whether we controlled for satisfaction. Husbands with partners high (versus low) in narcissism were more likely to engage in infidelity, though this effect was no longer significant when controlling for satisfaction. These findings demonstrate that even predicting a behavior as self-oriented as infidelity requires considering the qualities of both couple members, highlighting the importance of adopting a dyadic approach to relationships.

Attentional and evaluative biases help people maintain relationships by avoiding infidelity.

“…Most notably, prior number of short-term sexual encounters predicted men and women being slower to disengage attention from attractive alternatives and men being less likely to devalue such alternatives. Future research may investigate whether other dispositional predictors of infidelity operate in similar ways (see Altgelt et al, 2017; Atkins et al, 2001).…”

“…Instead, most studies involving these processes have examined the sources of these biases, such as commitment (Maner et al, 2009; Miller, 1997; Lydon et al, 1999; Lydon et al, 2003), relationship motives (Linardatos & Lydon, 2011), and sexual motives (Maner, Gailliot, & DeWall, 2007). Further, the literature on infidelity has focused mostly on distal predictors of infidelity, such as demographic variables (e.g., age, race), personality traits (e.g., attachment insecurity, narcissistic qualities), and general qualities of the relationship (e.g., relationship satisfaction and commitment; Altgelt, Reyes, French, Meltzer, & McNulty, 2017; Atkins, Baucom, & Jacobson, 2001; Buss & Shackelford, 1997; McNulty & Widman, 2014; Russell, Baker, & McNulty, 2013; Treas & Giesen, 2000; for reviews, see Blow & Hartnett, 2005; Fincham & May, 2017). Accordingly, although that literature offers important insights into who is most at risk for engaging in infidelity, it provides little information regarding the specific psychological processes that contribute to or minimize infidelity, which is crucial to supporting and extending existing theoretical perspectives of relationship maintenance (e.g., Karney & Bradbury, 1995; Lydon & Karremans, 2015; Rusbult, Olsen, Davis, & Hannon, 2001).…”

Your cheating heart is just afraid of ending up alone: Fear of being single mediates the relationship between attachment anxiety and infidelity

“…Past work has extensively studied personality factors that predict engaging in acts of infidelity. Individuals high on extraversion, neuroticism, narcissism, and psychopathy report higher levels of infidelity behaviors (e.g., Altgelt et al, 2018;Jones and Weiser, 2014). Conversely, high agreeableness and conscientiousness have been associated with lower levels of infidelity (e.g., Barta and Kiene, 2005).…”

Both sides of the story: Narratives of romantic infidelity

“…Infidelity is a complex and difficult experience, one that is associated with detrimental outcomes for all those involved (Hall & Fincham, 2006). In addition to examining the detrimental impact of infidelity, research on infidelity has focused on the personality traits associated with committing this action (Altgelt, Reyes, French, Meltzer, & McNulty, 2018; Buss & Shackelford, 1997; Jones & Weiser, 2014), as well as the ability of forgiveness and related constructs (e.g., empathy; Fife, Weeks, & Stellberg‐Filbert, 2013) to aid in the recovery process (Gordon & Baucom, 1998; Hall & Fincham, 2006; Johns, Allen, & Gordon, 2015; Shackelford, Buss, & Bennett, 2002). However, research in this area has largely neglected the psychosocial construction of infidelity—how lay people construe their personal experiences with infidelity—which may have distinct relations with personality traits and psychological health (but see Abrahamson, Hussain, Khan, & Schofield, 2012; Riessman, 1989 for descriptive analyses of autobiographical stories of infidelity).…”

“…With respect to personality traits, greater neuroticism (defined by emotional instability, distress, and worry) and decreased levels of both agreeableness (defined by kindness and trustworthiness) and conscientiousness (defined by reliability and dutifulness) have been found to predict greater rates of past and current infidelity (Schmitt, 2004; Whisman, Gordon, & Chatav, 2007). Perpetrators with more neurotic and extraverted (defined by gregariousness and dominance) partners are also more likely to commit infidelity (Altgelt et al, 2018). These four traits, when considered alongside openness to experience (defined by being creative and imaginative), constitute the five factor model (FFM; see John, Naumann, & Soto, 2008).…”