Not all relationships go according to plan. Sometimes, one or both partners might be tempted to go and seek fun elsewhere. Cheating is something that happens pretty frequently, and there are plenty of different ideas and theories about just what brings someone to cheat.
A recent study, conducted by Florida State University, has brought about a new theory. This theory is pretty shocking to us, as they suggest that having good sex might actually be the reason that people cheat. Surprising, right? So can good sex really lead you to consider cheating?
Why we think people cheat
When it comes to figuring out just how many people have been cheating in their relationship, it is difficult to get exact figures. A lot of people will deny it, which means that getting a definitive number is a challenge. However, dating expert James Preece believes that roughly one in five people are guilty of cheating.
What do we define cheating as? For Preece, it is “by having sexual intercourse with someone else”, which means that things such as micro-cheating do not count. Micro-cheating includes things such as flirting with someone else, but in this case, he is focusing specifically on actually having sex with someone else.
There are often plenty of reasons why people might be tempted to cheat. It could be that their current relationship is coming to an end, or that they simply like the thrill and risk of having sex with someone else. Some even state that they aren’t having a fulfilling relationship with their partner at home and so want to find someone else to give them what they need.
The latest study says…
However, the latest study from Florida State University suggests that there might be an entirely different reason why people have cheated. In this study they looked at 233 newlyweds over the course of three and a half years. They wanted to see why those cheating might be tempted to do so.
The results of this study were pretty surprising to most of us. They suggested that one of the biggest indicators that someone might cheat actually came from how good their sex life was. In other words, if you’re having amazing sex, you’ll be more likely to stray. Maybe it is because you want more than you are getting and need to look elsewhere for it?
It’s a pretty worrying result. Basically, if you have good sex, this study says that you are more likely to cheat on your partner. Given that most of us assume that bad sex was the reason for it, we’re a bit stunned to be told this.
Other factors to consider
This was not the only indicator, according to the researchers, of reasons why someone might be tempted to try cheating. They also found that younger people were more likely to stray, although why this is wasn’t made clear. Perhaps it is the fact that younger people typically don’t have as much relationship experience?
It seemed that how attractive you are might also have an impact. For men, the more attractive you are, the more likely you are to seek your fun elsewhere. The researchers also stated that, for women, the opposite was true, in that the “less attractive” women were tempted to cheat.
To summarise, if you have good sex and are younger, you are much more likely to cheat. If you’re a hot guy, or a “less” attractive woman, you could stray. So much for the theory that having bad sex was a reason many claimed for having an affair!
How not to cheat
Thankfully the researchers don’t just stop there. They also decided to take a look at how you can control the urge to stray. They wanted to provide some tips to help you make sure you stay faithful, though whether they will actually help is another matter entirely.
They state that simply not thinking of how attractive someone is, alongside downplaying their attractiveness, could help. It could “prevent you from acting on your desires” and therefore make you a more loyal and faithful partner.
I don’t know about you, but I’m looking at their “solutions” to avoid cheating and I am not at all convinced. It is hardly revolutionary, and the fact that just not thinking about the person is their solution isn’t going to help much. Do you feel like this is good advice?
Your thoughts on the study
Okay, so it is a fascinating study. That said, it is also a really small scale one. Surveying just 233 people doesn’t tell you a lot about relationships. What if those they surveyed were more likely to have an affair than anyone else? How did they choose these people in particular?
This study might suggest that good sex is going to make you more likely to stray, but I don’t buy it. What do you think? Do you believe that having amazing sex might turn you into a cheater? Let us know by leaving a comment in the box below.
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