New study reveals These are the real reasons why women cheat
Recent study findings offer new insights into the reasons why women become unfaithful. The research shows that physical attraction and emotional needs often need to be considered separately.
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- Women often find their affair partners more physically attractive than their steady partners.
- Permanent partners are seen by women as the better and more suitable parent.
- Emotional or sexual dissatisfaction in the relationship is a common reason for female infidelity.
- The other reasons for affairs are varied, cultural and do not necessarily indicate a desire to replace a steady partner.
According to a report on "20 Minuten", infidelity and affairs are not a rare phenomenon. A survey by a dating portal shows that almost one in three people in a committed relationship have already cheated - 31% of women and 29% of men.
While the desire to procreate is often assumed to be the motive for unfaithful men, the reasons why women cheat are less obvious.
This is partly due to the fact that women cannot reproduce as quickly as men for biological reasons. A study recently published in the journal "Evolution and Human Behavior" offers new insights into the possible reasons for female infidelity.
Affairs often more physically attractive
In the study, the researchers surveyed 254 heterosexual cisgender men and women (i.e. their gender identity matches their birth sex) from 19 different countries who had already cheated.
The participants rated their affairs as well as their steady partners in three categories: physical attraction (appearance and sexual attractiveness), personal attraction (liking and having fun together) and parenting skills (suitability as a parent).
The results suggest that women often view their affair partners as more physically attractive, while they view their steady partners as the more suitable parent.
These patterns support the theory of a dual mating strategy, in which the goal of an infidelity is to combine the "good genes" of an attractive affair partner with the parental support of the steady partner. However, study leader Murphy emphasizes that most women who cheat do not seriously pursue this strategy.
Different qualities of partners
Interestingly, the study found no evidence that women cheat to replace their steady partner. Instead, women seem to make a clear distinction between their affairs and their committed relationships, appreciating the different qualities of their partners.
Other reasons
- Relationship dissatisfaction: Some women report that they cheat because they are not emotionally or sexually fulfilled in their current relationship.
- Desire for variety: Some women seek new experiences and more variety in their love life by having an infidelity.
- Revenge: In certain cases, infidelity is a reaction to a partner's cheating or other conflicts in the relationship.
The study also shows that men exhibit similar patterns. Affair partners are often rated as more physically attractive, while steady partners are seen as more suitable parents.
Limitations of the study
However, the authors of the study say that trying to find a single "main cause" of infidelity falls short of the mark. Different people cheat for different reasons, and a single affair can be triggered simultaneously by a variety of evolutionarily understandable motives. For example, a woman can both seek revenge and look for a new partner.
The study did show that psychological tendencies aimed at securing "better genes" played a greater role in the women surveyed than the desire for a better partner.
However, it is just as likely that other reasons, such as changing partners or securing additional resources, can play a central role in women's infidelity in different social and ecological contexts.