Risk Factors for Cheating

by James Robbins, M.A., LPC

About 1 out of 3 American couples deal with infidelity during the course of their relationship. Recent findings suggest three factors make someone much more likely to cheat.

Genes.

For 63% of men who cheat, genetics plays a big role. Same for 40% of women. It’s worth knowing, if possible, whether your partner’s biological parent’s have struggled with infidelity. Practically speaking, I’ve found that people who cheat tend to gravitate toward friends who also cheat. If many of your partner’s friends are unfaithful to their partners, you might consider this a red flag–or at least something worth discussing.

Income.

We’ve long known that wealthier men are substantially more likely to cheat than men with average incomes. With more wealth comes more female interest, more access to available sexual partners. Interestingly, however, men who make significantly less than their partners are also more likely to cheat. Men who are financially dependent on their female partners–stay-at-home dads, for example–are five times as likely to cheat as men with salaries comparable to their wives’ income. Women are more likely to cheat with males more educated than their current partners. So if you want to stack the faithfulness odds in your favor, the rule of thumb is this: date someone with similar earning power and education.

Age.

Women 26 and younger are more likely to cheat than women of any other age. Men generally cheat with younger women. When you put this together with income, you see a familiar pattern emerge. The more success certain males accumulate, the greater their access to interested, younger women. And for many men (especially those with genetic tendencies toward infidelity) greater access to sexual partners usually means more sexual partners.

 

About the Author: James Robbins is a licensed professional counselor, published author and co-owner of Dallas Whole Life Counseling. He has over 15 years of experience helping people in various life stages that come from a wide variety of cultural, economic and family backgrounds. Learn more about his background by clicking here.