A study by researchers Leeker and Carlozzi looks into how people respond emotionally to both emotional and sexual infidelity, focusing on gender and sexual orientation dynamics. The findings provide insights into how individuals, regardless of sexual orientation, deal with the emotional aftermath of betrayal in committed relationships.
Interestingly, gender and sexual orientation did not significantly interact to influence emotional responses to infidelity. Across the board, women, regardless of sexual orientation, showed stronger reactions to both emotional and sexual infidelity compared to men. Women’s responses to emotional infidelity were similar to men, while their reactions to sexual infidelity were marked by heightened anger.
In the face of sexual infidelity, women experienced a range of emotions, including anxiety, jealousy, and almost equal levels of humiliation. On the other hand, men were less concerned about humiliation and overall less distressed by sexual infidelity. Both genders were more distressed by sexual infidelity than by emotional infidelity, highlighting the powerful impact of breaches in sexual exclusivity.
Analyzing emotional responses to sexual infidelity, the study found a commonality among women and men, with anger being the primary emotion, followed by anxiety and jealousy. Heterosexual individuals consistently reported higher scores than their lesbian and gay counterparts, but no significant differences were observed between emotional and sexual infidelity based on sexual orientation.
Viewing these responses through the lens of evolutionary theory, the study suggests that lesbian and gay individuals may not be as profoundly affected by infidelity as heterosexuals. This interpretation aligns with the idea that same-sex infidelity doesn’t pose the same evolutionary threats, such as the risk of raising another man’s child or losing essential resources to a rival partner. The study emphasises the complex interplay of gender, sexual orientation, and emotional responses to infidelity within romantic relationships.
Reference:
Rokach A, Chan SH. Love and Infidelity: Causes and Consequences. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Feb 22;20(5):3904. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20053904. PMID: 36900915; PMCID: PMC10002055.