Motivations and Emotional Consequences Related to Engaging in Extramarital Relationships

Abstract

Abstract ABSTRACT. The purpose of this study was to allow adults who were actively engaged in extramarital relationships to explain their motivations and emotions in their own words. We recruited 77 participants (22 men and 55 women) from an Internet discussion board aimed at people who were actively pursuing or involved in extramarital affairs. Participants completed an online survey that allowed them to describe up to three extramarital relationships, including the reasons for beginning each affair and the emotional consequences of each affair. We found sexual needs, emotional needs, and falling in love to be major reasons for beginning affairs. Both men and women were equally likely to cite sexual or emotional motivations if their primary relationship was not satisfying in either of these elements. Most participants reported experiencing both negative and positive emotions in consequence of their affairs. The results of our study illustrate the complexity of these kinds of relationships. KEYWORDS: Sex/gender rolesqualitative studiesmarriageinfidelitysexual attitudes Acknowledgments Portions of these data were presented at a poster session during the 2010 Tri-State Undergraduate Research Conference in Dubuque, IA. We would like to thank April Hutchinson Bril, Jennifer Fregeau, and Regina Weber for assistance in data coding and analysis.