Cheating is a phenomenon that captivates and repels our culture…

Within relationships, it stands as one of the most condemned transgressions, often spelling doom for a couple’s future. A YouGov study conducted in 2015 unveiled that one out of five British adults had engaged in an affair before. Interestingly, the rates of infidelity were quite similar between men and women, dispelling stereotypes about unfaithful husbands and resigned wives. However, determining the prevalence of cheating within long-term relationships and marriages remains challenging. Surveying such behavior relies on participants honestly acknowledging actions that inherently involve dishonesty and admitting to socially frowned-upon conduct.

Could infidelity possibly be a symptom of relational issues rather than the root cause? A recent study by Tilbury University researchers in the Netherlands seemed to support this idea. Over an eight-year span, the study observed German couples, documenting 1,000 instances of “infidelity events” (scientifically, affairs). Their investigation delved into participants’ emotions before and after cheating. The findings indicated that infidelity was often preceded by heightened conflicts and decreased satisfaction within the relationship.