Upset Over Sexual versus Emotional Infidelity Among Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Adults

Summary & key facts

This study asked 63,894 U.S. adults (heterosexual, gay, lesbian, and bisexual) to imagine which would upset them more: their partner having sex with someone else but not falling in love, or their partner falling in love with someone else but not having sex. Results showed a clear gender difference only among heterosexuals: heterosexual men were more likely to say sexual infidelity would upset them more, while heterosexual women were more likely to say emotional infidelity would upset them more. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual men and women showed no consistent gender differences in which type of infidelity upset them more.

Key facts:

• Total sample size was 63,894 adults who answered a hypothetical question about sexual versus emotional infidelity.
• Among heterosexuals, 54% of men said they would be more upset by sexual infidelity, compared with 35% of heterosexual women.
• Also among heterosexuals, 65% of women said they would be more upset by emotional infidelity, compared with 46% of heterosexual men.
• The gender difference (men more upset by sexual, women by emotional) held across age groups, income levels, history of being cheated on, history of being unfaithful, relationship type, and relationship length for heterosexual participants.
• Bisexual men and bisexual women did not differ significantly in being more upset by sexual infidelity (30% of bisexual men vs. 27% of bisexual women).
• When bisexual people were split by the sex of their current partner, responses still showed no clear gender difference: bisexuals currently dating a man reported 35% (men) vs. 29% (women) more upset by sexual infidelity; bisexuals currently
• Gay men and lesbian women did not differ in upset over sexual infidelity (32% of gay men vs. 34% of lesbian women).
• The study used imagined scenarios (a hypothetical question), so answers are self-reports about feelings in imagined situations, not measurements of actual behavior. The authors describe the findings as strong evidence of a gender difference

Topics

Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior

Categories

Experimental and Cognitive Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Developmental psychology Heterosexuality Homosexuality Jealousy Lesbian Psychoanalysis Psychology Social psychology Young adult