Drawing the Line: The Development of a Comprehensive Assessment of Infidelity Judgments

Abstract

Infidelity is a leading cause of relationship discord and dissolution, and couples generally report expectations to maintain monogamy. However, a majority of men and women report engaging in some form of infidelity at least once in their lives. Research assessing judgments of the behaviors that constitute infidelity is lacking. The three studies reported here advanced the literature by developing and validating the Definitions of Infidelity Questionnaire (DIQ), a comprehensive measure examining infidelity judgments. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated four factors to the scale: sexual/explicit behaviors, technology/online behaviors, emotional/affectionate behaviors, and solitary behaviors. Investigation of the psychometric properties demonstrated the DIQ to be reliable and valid. Participants agreed that sexual/explicit behaviors comprised infidelity to the largest extent, whereas other types of behaviors (technology/online behaviors, emotional/affectionate behaviors, and solitary behaviors) were judged as comprising infidelity to a lesser extent. Men reported more permissive judgments than did women. This study provides insights regarding operationalizing infidelity and identifying areas of ambiguity and consensus. Implications of the findings for educators and practitioners working with individuals in intimate relationships are discussed.

I Can But You Can't: Inconsistencies in Judgments of and Experiences With Infidelity

“…The infidelity scale also has demonstrated adequate convergent, discriminant, and predictive validity (Thompson & O'Sullivan, 2015).…”

“…The Definitions of Infidelity Questionnaire (DIQ; Thompson & O'Sullivan, 2015) The DIQ consists of 32 items organised into four subscales with each item describing a behaviour (see Table 1 and Table 2 for a list of all items). The Sexual/Explicit Behaviour subscale consists of seven items related to partnered activities involving explicit physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, performing/receiving oral sex, touching genitals).…”

“…Research indicates that judgments (i.e., the range of behaviours incorporated into an individual's understanding of infidelity) vary according to the type of behaviour (Thompson & O'Sullivan, 2015;Kruger et al, 2013;Wilson, Mattingly, Clark, Weidler, & Bequette, 2011), with sexual behaviours judged as more indicative of infidelity than ambiguous behaviours (e.g., romantic/affectionate behaviour and technology-based interactions). However, these differences in judgments cannot fully explain why we find this paradox between monogamy expectations and experiences with infidelity.…”

Ain’t misbehavin? Monogamy maintenance strategies in heterosexual romantic relationships

“…A growing body of research shows that individuals consider infidelity to comprise more than only sexual forms. Infidelity also includes emotional or romantic infidelity, which describes affective bonds formed with an extradyadic partner(s), leading to the exchange of emotional resources, including love, time, and attention (Roscoe, Cavanaugh, & Kennedy, 1988;Shackelford & Buss, 1997), as well as technology-facilitated and online interactions with extradyadic partners (Thompson & O'Sullivan, 2016a). Sexual and emotional/ romantic infidelities can and do co-occur and are associated with greater likelihood of relationship breakup (Allen & Rhoades, 2008).…”

Introduction Sexuality in leadership: A long-neglected topic with vast implications for individuals and society

“…One of the key elements of traditional marriages is sexual fidelity. Although statistics vary depending on the source, 30-70 percent of men report at least one instance of marital infidelity; about 20-68 percent of women report at least one instance (Thompson & O'Sullivan, 2016).…”