Understanding infidelity: correlates in a national random sample.
Infidelity is a common phenomenon in marriages but is poorly understood. The current study examined variables related to extramarital sex using data from the 1991-1996 General Social Surveys. Predictor variables were entered into a logistic regression with presence of extramarital sex as the dependent variable. Results demonstrated that divorce, education, age when first married, and 2 "opportunity" variables--respondent's income and work status--significantly affected the likelihood of having engaged in infidelity. Also, there were 3 significant interactions related to infidelity: (a) between age and gender, (b) between marital satisfaction and religious behavior, and (c) between past divorce and educational level. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.
Atkins
D C
DC
Center for Clinical Research, Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105-4631, USA. datkins@u.washington.edu
Baucom
D H
DH
Jacobson
N S
NS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005114:Extramarital Relations; D005260:Female; D005783:Gender Identity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors