Equity and extramarital sexuality

Abstract

Equity theory has recently been found to be a useful framework for understanding the effects of imbalances in intimate "contractual" relationships such as marriage. Equitable couples seem to be happier, more satisfied with their relationship, and more confident that it will last than are their more mismatched, i.e., inequitable, counterparts. Furthermore, inequitable couples predictably act to "set things right" in their marriage. They either restore actual equity to the relationship or psychologically set their relationship in balance. If neither works, they may "leave the field." Extramarital sex may be viewed as an equity restoration mechanism in that (1) it may be used by the deprived partner to achieve actual equity, (2) it may indicate a partner's readiness to leave the relationship because he feels he can "do better," or (3) it may represent a desire to achieve equity in an alternative relationship(s) when inequity pervades the primary one. The hypothesis that the inequitable/underbenefited group should be more likely than the equitable group or the inequitable/overbenefited group to have engaged in extramarital sex was tested using data from a large-scale Psychology Today questionnaire. The results indicated that men and women in inequitable/underbenefited relationships had more extramarital affairs and began their extramarital activities earlier than did men and women in equitable and inequitable/overbenefited relationships. Alternative explanations of this finding, sex-role demands and length of the relationship, are explored and discarded as untenable.

Is the Partner Who Decides to Divorce More Attractive? A Comparison Between Initiators and Noninitiators

“…Sprecher, 1986). Several scholars reported that the under benefited spouse (Prins, Buunk, & VanYperen, 1993;Walster, Traupman & Walster;, particularly women, were most "likely to engage in an extramarital relationship, often the first step to ending a marriage" (Buunk & Mutsaers, 1999, p 125). …”

A Review of Theoretical Approaches to Interpersonal Power

“…51 The results suggest that having greater power does improve the quality of alternatives available and reduce commitment, as the principle of least interest would suggest, but also decreases satisfaction with the relationship. 52 Previous studies have found that equitable relationships are the most desirable 53 which is why Dunbar and Burgoon 54 speculated that the majority of their sample of married and cohabiting couples preferred characterizing their relationship as equal rather than unequal in power despite the differences in dominance behavior exhibited. Generally, the investment model has proved to be a useful tool for examining power relationships as they affect the stability and commitment of close relationships.…”

Estranged Wife, Other Man’s Beloved

“…With reference to the equity theory (Walster et al, 1978) and investment model, briefly discussed by Drigotas and Barta (2012), pursuing an alternative relationship if positively evaluated may be considered as an equity restoration mechanism and may weaken the commitment to the marital relationship. The weakening of the commitment is due to the lessening of the marital as well as familial relationship satisfaction due to the unfulfilled needs and expectations of the woman, which in this study are also juxtaposed with the regard for children.…”