Ok, so we know that both men and women cheat, but according to a new study published in the journal Archives of Sexual Behaviour, their reasons for being unfaithful are as chalk is to cheese.
Whereas men tend to stray for personal or intrinsic reasons, women do so because of external factors, such as problems within their relationship.
The study -- jointly conducted by faculty at the University of Guelph and the University of Indiana -- found that demographics and interpersonal factors affect infidelity more than religion, marital status, education or gender.
Participants, comprising 506 men and 412 women in monogamous sexual relationships (lasting from three months to 43 years), completed scales measuring sexual personality variables and answered questions about their relationships.
Although the rate of infidelity between the sexes was neck in neck (23 per cent of men, 19 per cent of women), the triggers varied significantly.
Risk-takers and easily aroused men, as well as those, paradoxically, who suffer from 'performance anxiety', were more likely to cheat on their partners, while women tended to step outside a romantic relationship when they were dissatisfied with it.
Though the study seems to play into gender stereotypes and oversimplify the individual circumstances, researchers feel that such strong predictors of infidelity may help endangered couples by way of "therapeutic intervention".
Beware those overtly insatiable or insecure types! 'nough said.
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