Infidelity is leading cause of divorce among married couples. According to research, men and women have a slightly different view of cheating and infidelity. The study conducted by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) shows that while men are more likely to be upset when their partner gets physically intimate with another person. On the other hand, women feel hurt when their partners are in a deep emotional relationship with another person.
Both men and women forgive equally
According to the report, however, the rate at which both and men are willing to forgive their cheating partners is almost equal. In addition, both sexes go through the same process before concluding their cheating partners.
According to researcher co-author Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair, the findings contradicted their expectations and attributed the differences to cultural gender roles and some hereditary evolutionary psychology elements.
A recent study by YouGov indicated that 19% of couples reported having sex outside their relationship without their partner’s knowledge. This trend was reported more in men at 25% and women at 13%. According to psychotherapist Lindsay Brancato, Ph.D. however, women are closing in this gap. He attributes this trend to women taking up employment responsibility and ceasing to be caretakers.
The NTNU study reported 92 couples who responded to a questioner about hypothetical scenarios involving cheating and infidelity. Results from the study revealed that either gender were willing to forgive their cheating partners. The study further revealed that both sexes were threatened more by the impact of infidelity on a relationship.
Couples can still save their relationship
The study revealed that in the end, what determines whether the relationship will stand is the couple’s willingness to forgive. It is through forgiveness that those who have been hurt and emotionally wounded can heal.
The researchers agree that forgiveness is always a hard deal to strike between couples battling cheating allegations. However, they suggest it is the perfect tool to accelerate healing and rekindle lost love. Finally, there are still differences in the way both sexes forgive their cheating partners.
