Vol. 24 No. 1 (2021)
Articles

Relational Transgressions in Romantic Relationships: Men’s Infidelity Urges Lastly Caught in the Act

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  • Simeon SIMEONOV

Published 05/03/2022

Keywords

  • romantic relationships,
  • relational transgressions,
  • romantic affairs,
  • sexual and emotional motivations

How to Cite

SIMEONOV, S. (2022). Relational Transgressions in Romantic Relationships: Men’s Infidelity Urges Lastly Caught in the Act. Psychological Research (in the Balkans), 24(1). Retrieved from https://journalofpsychology.org/index.php/1/article/view/23

Copyright (c) 2021 Psychological Research (in the Balkans)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

Human beings are naturally self-driven to seek, shape, and sustain meaningful interpersonal connections. Unremitting relational transgressions, however, may earnestly swing the very foundation of romantic relationships. The present research paper attempted to elicit men’s sexual and emotional moti vations for commission of infidelity. A total of 80 men (N=80) filled out a web-based questionnaire. 29 men (36.25%) acknowledged past experiences with infidelity, whereas the remaining 51 men (63.75%) renounced any extradyadic sexual involvements. The most frequently indicated sexual motivations were: sexual enjoyment/experimentation and variety (44.83%); infrequent sexual activities/unsatisfying sex life (37.93%). By contrast, the most frequently reported emotional motivations were: disengagement/emotion al detachment (31.03%); communication issues (27.59%); as well as feelings of unappreciation (24.14%). Contrary to common beliefs, sexual and emotional dissatisfaction as men’s self-reported general motiva tions for infidelity were equal (44.83%). The Cochran’s Q test did not reveal any significant differences between the mean values of general motivations (Sig = 0.190 > 0.05 = α); between the mean values of sexual motivations (Sig = 0.253 > 0.05 = α), or between the mean values of the emotional motivations (Sig = 0.976 > 0.05 = α). Friedman’s test and the Independent-samples t-test did reveal statistically significant dissimilarities between the mean values of what behaviors count as infidelity according to the sur vey participants. Albeit men are often deplored for their sexual promiscuity and inadequacy for committed romantic relationships, the present research paper offered an alternative perspective on corresponding infidelity urges.

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