The Main Psychological Roots of Infidelity
Commentary:
Men have extramarital affairs because of their dissatisfaction with
the marital relationship, emotional emptiness, need for sexual
variety, inability to resist new sexual opportunity. The loss of the
high level of passion and desire that existed in the beginning of the
relationship may result in boredom or develop into a feeling of
indifference towards the partner.
Insecurity may be personal, whereas one feels unworthy of their
spouse. They donÂ’t feel on equal level to their spouse and always fear
that they will lose their spouse and relationship. The fear becomes
great in these people and they seek ways to resolve it. Believing that
the dissolution of their marriage is inevitable, they never consider
options such as counseling. Instead they turn their attention to
minimizing their fear and pain. This is where an affair enters. The
affair serves as security for if the marriage ends. The adulterer
feels that they have a safety net to rely upon. They may also choose a
partner who they feel equal or superior to. This temporarily relieves
their feelings of inadequacy.
Moreover, mental and emotional neglect also serves as a main reason of
infidelity. Sometimes, when a couple has been together for a long
time, they begin to neglect each other. They donÂ’t talk with or
inquire about each other as often. This leaves a person feeling
frustrated and undesirable.
Neglected people are the group that affairs find them; they donÂ’t
always look for or initiate affairs. Neglected spouses can become like
wounds in desperate need of a bandage. They may use work, religion or
an affair, unknowingly, as their bandage. Or they can end up in an
affair because somebody provided them with the attention that their
spouse had neglected to give them.
However, it might be sometimes that men unable to resist sexual
temptation and having a sexual relationship with women when
opportunities are available. A clinical psychologist says that. "When
a man walking into the kitchen and seeing a chocolate cake sitting on
They think it is a relief to think that they will not be penalised in
In this paper I am writing about marriage and infidelity in modern life and the books we have read in class. Marriage is a mutual bond in which a man and a woman decide to be with each other until they die. Infidelity is basically when the man or woman in a relationship cheat on the other person, without them knowing.
A man has been married to his wife for seven years. The couple has two beautiful children, a fabulous home, and appear to have the perfect marriage. After the husband leaves work one afternoon, he decides to stop in at the local bar. The man sits at a table in the corner of the room. Not long after his arrival, a woman approaches him. She asks the man if she can join him at his table. The two seem to have quite a bit in common and enjoy each other’s company. The woman asks if he would like to go back to her apartment. He has not had a fight with his wife today. In fact, she surprised him with a love note in his briefcase. Their sex life is enjoyable, frequent, and without complaint. The couple is not currently having financial problems. Despite this, why did the man decide to leave with a stranger and cheat on his wife? A great deal of research has been carried out on the topic of infidelity. Marital therapists have reported that more than half of the couples they counsel are in therapy as a result of infidelity (Atkins, Jacobson citation). Therapists also consider an extramarital affair as, “one of the most damaging relationship events and one of the most difficult problems to treat in couples therapy” (whisman predicting sexual infidelity…). Some therapists estimate that 50% to 65% of couples seek help after an incident of infidelity in their relationship (Atkins, Jacobson & Baucom). Identifying the reasons for this problem are essential to the success of its reduction. Infidelity is not a new phenomenon. However, there was little research on the topic until the late 1970’s (Drigotas & Barta, 2001). Numerous factors have been examined while trying to determine the root cause for extramarital relationships a...
In Dante’s Inferno, Cervantes’ Don Quixote and Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, the protagonists’ relationships with their companions becomes an essential subplot within each text. Their relationships are crucial in order to complete their journey and in some cases complete each other. In addition, there are many characteristics in each text that are unrealistic representations of life. For instance, the environment of hell the Inferno, Don Quixote’s fictional world, and the instant marriages in Pride and Prejudice are all things that are not typically seen in real life. These unrealistic characteristics affect how each relationship develops, however, these factors do not take away from the significance of each relationship. In each text, the lucrative ambitions of the characters are initially the motive of many relationships rather than the desire for true companionship. A major part of the relationships development is how the characters’ companionships transition from ones that are based on individual ambitions to ones that are built on the desire for intimate relationships.
Currently, by definition and tradition, we are living in an American society that sees itself as predominantly monogamous. However, this monogamous society has increasingly been filled with cheating, unfaithful, and overall promiscuous individual. As of today, 57% of American males and 54% of American females, admit to committing infidelity in any relationship they’ve (Glass) So what exactly happen to the ideology of monogamy in America? What has happen to the system of having only one partner at any specific time? Is monogamy really dying, or is it already six feet under in today’s society? Some may argue that America was never truly a monogamous society and thus monogamy isn’t dying but merely less represented. On the other hand, people argue that one can do as they please and if being in a non-monogamous relationship makes them happy, to each their own. My own view is that monogamy is facing a dying role in American culture. Non-monogamous practices have grown to become a visible part of today’s American society. This paper will look at why monogamy is important, the reason it’s dying and why it needs to be placed back in the spotlight.
Attachment is a complex evolutionary behavioral system that is intertwined with three other behavioral systems: exploratory, affiliative, and wariness. The behavioral systems that are involved with attachment behavior can be activated or terminated in different circumstances. The function of attachment is survival. Attachment can be found in many children’s books, although the two books examined in this essay are I love you all day long by Francesca Rusackas, and The kissing hand by…. These books show evidence of secure attachment through the process of separation and reunion.
Adulterous women, on the other hand, had undeniably smaller punishments for adultery because of the way in which the Athenians view sex and sexuality. Women were always seen as weak, while the men were strong and penetrative. Therefore, adultery was seen as an act that was done against them, despite the fact that it was done with their approval and involvement. However, the women still faced certain sanctions. Their husband was legally required to divorce his wife if it was discovered that she had an affair (Carey, n.p). It was believed that women that participated in an adulterous affair once were more likely to betray their husband again, so they had to end the marriage. In addition, adulterous women were banned from public temples and from wearing jewelry. If found violating this ban, they could be beaten (Robson, 98). Since moicheia included any affair between a woman
Infidelity is the act of unfaithfulness to a person, union or situation. Marriage infidelity is a common phenomenon that is almost as equally participated in by wives as well as husbands.
Monogamy does not imply fidelity (Fisher 63), and marriage does not imply monogamy. To understand this surprising statement, the word "monogamy" must be interpreted in a biological sense, and marriage in a legal sense. In other words, monogamy is just two people in a relationship for their mutual benefit, perhaps involving an extended family and children. Monogamy does not necessarily mean a life-long relationship, but it can, nor does it exclude occasional philandering. It is monogamy as long as two people maintain a pair-bond for their mutual benefit, no matter how short the relationship lasts. Marriage, on the other hand, legally recognizes many different mating systems from monogamy to polygamy.
What is jealousy? Is it part of any normal relationship, or is it always destructive? The origins of jealousy are not clear. Some believe that jealousy was our solution to mate retention due to our "concealed fertilization" process (Basset 72). While others believe that it is how we compare what we have to what other have and is triggered by "perceived threats to relationships" and is designed to "trigger initial emotional reactions" (Basset 73). What is clear is that jealousy has been a part of the human race for as long as our species has developed social structures. Smith indicates that t here are several types of jealousy ranging from mild to severe when verbal and physical threats come in. When jealousy reaches this stage of intensity, he advises that "you need to get the hell out of there" (qtd. in Jet 2002). This extreme form of jealousy has obviously gone too far, but are there forms of jealousy that are natural or even helpful?
Bonnie and Clyde, Adam and Eve, Beyonce and Jay-Z – these are six individuals, but perhaps more conspicuously, they conjure up an image of three couples, each better recognized as a unit than is any individual member of the dyad alone. Indeed, when individuals become romantically involved, they often morph into a single entity in the eyes of others; for example, celebrities Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie earned themselves the single moniker of “Brangelina” when they started dating, exemplifying this phenomenon of thinking about romantic couples as a unit rather than just as separate individuals. Yet, despite rife anecdotal evidence such as these compound couple nicknames, psychological theory and research have paid relatively little attention
The Immorality of Adultery Sex is believed, by some, to be a universal language, one that is free
concerns in a safe enviroment, a pose to take the easy way of suspending the offender.
because it gives me security and comfort. I know that the decisions that I make
People say cheating has so many forms, but the worst one would be cheating in a relationship. A cheater is someone who cheats on his partner; someone who systematically betrays his partner either on a physical or emotional level. About a week ago I thought cheating was okay,but now I realize the harm it could cause to their significant other. True love doesn’t hurt, true love protects, and cares. Cheating can cause someone to have a mental break down, and leads to a complete loss of respect. When it comes to relationships, remaining faithful is never an option; loyalty is everything.