Upset Over Sexual versus Emotional Infidelity Among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Adults

Summary & key facts

The study asked 63,894 U.S. adults to imagine which would upset them more: their partner having sex with someone else (but not falling in love) or their partner falling in love with someone else (but not having sex). Heterosexual men were more likely than heterosexual women to say sexual cheating would upset them more, while heterosexual women were more likely to say emotional cheating would upset them more. This gender difference appeared across ages and relationship types, but it did not appear among gay or bisexual participants.

Key facts:

• The study sample included 63,894 adults from the United States who answered an online hypothetical question about infidelity.
• Participants chose between two scenarios: partner has sex with someone else but does not fall in love, or partner falls in love with someone else but does not have sex.
• Among heterosexuals, 54% of men said sexual infidelity would upset them more, versus 35% of heterosexual women.
• Among heterosexuals, 46% of men said emotional infidelity would upset them more, versus 65% of heterosexual women.
• The gender difference (men more upset by sexual cheating, women more upset by emotional cheating) held across age groups, income levels, whether participants had been cheated on, whether they had been unfaithful, relationship type, and rela
• Bisexual men and women did not differ significantly in upset over sexual infidelity (30% of bisexual men vs. 27% of bisexual women).
• When bisexual participants were grouped by the sex of their current partner, reported upset over sexual infidelity was 35% vs. 29% when dating a man, and 28% vs. 20% when dating a woman (men vs. women in those subgroups).
• Gay men and lesbian women did not differ in which type of infidelity upset them more (32% of gay men vs. 34% of lesbian women reported being more upset by sexual infidelity).

Topics

Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

Categories

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Developmental psychology Heterosexuality Homosexuality Jealousy Lesbian Psychoanalysis Psychology Social psychology Young adult