Who cheats more: Women or men?

Women are cheating more than ever, according to new research.

By Rebekah Schilperoort - MSN Living Editor Nov 27, 2012 4:05PM

By Madeline Haller, Women's Health

Sure, it may seem like infidelity is a guy thing. But according to research from the Archives of Sexual Behavior, women are just about as guilty of straying, and in fact, they're cheating more than ever.

Researchers had 918 men and women fill out an online questionnaire on whether or not they've cheated on their partners and why they did it. The results show that 19 percent of women admitted to straying outside their relationship -- that's up 5 percentage points from the National Science Foundation's General Social Survey in 2010.

Men aren't much better: 23 percent of them reported cheating, up 4 percent since 2010.

While men still outpace women, it's alarming to see these numbers on the rise for both sexes. According to Dr. Sheri Meyers, a marriage and family therapist and author of Chatting or Cheating: How to Detect Infidelity, Rebuild Love, and Affair-Proof Your Relationship, it's not just attractive men that lure us from our relationships, but rather, it's relationship discontent that leads us to stray. In fact, Meyers says the most common reasons for infidelity are feeling lonely and disconnected from your partner; lack of communication; love and attention deficit; boredom; a sexual disconnect; or lack of intimacy.

And it doesn't help that a new study published in the journal Hormones and Behavior found that certain points in our cycles make us even more likely to doubt the dude we're dating -- particularly if he's not over-the-top sexy.

In the study, women were significantly more likely to find fault with their partners and feel less close to them during the high-fertility period than the low-fertility period of their cycles.

So what should you do if (or perhaps, when) the grass looks greener on the other side? Put that temptation to rest with these ways to prevent cheating.

This content originally appeared as "Who cheats more: Women or men?" on Women's Health.

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343Comments

Newest

Nov 27, 2012 10:02PM

It takes two to dance. If they are talking about heterosexual cheating in those statistics and 23% if men cheat and 19% of women cheat, these women must be sleeping with multiple men for that 4% difference. Given the sample size of say 1000, for simple calculation, 230 men will have slept with 190 women. That means that women are the bigger cheaters and that possibly 18% of women slept with more than one man, or one woman slept with 40 men.

Previous replies

Zenneth

Nov 27, 2012 10:01PM

Every one seems surprised that women cheat, I'm not. Sure everyone likes to say men cheat, and some men even like that reputation. However, it's obvious that men cheat with women. Did we really think all of these women are single and just "mislead" into hooking up with men who are married or dating? I'm not judging anyone...just asking the question

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joe w637

Nov 27, 2012 9:58PM

I been married for 52 years to my high school girlfriend---not bored yet--very blessed

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Smeado

Nov 27, 2012 9:57PM

My buddy is a personal trainer and has had sex with five married women in the last year. Women cheat more. They have more opportunities.

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Mr. Herbert (Mr. Herbert)

Nov 27, 2012 9:56PM

I'm glad I didn't marry a liar or a whore, just a good person.

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rudad5

Nov 27, 2012 9:55PM

its obvious when all women have to do is open theire legs?! guys have to try with theire intelligence or what ever works right? besides one girlfriend as a friend and another and another and then they all give you sex when you need it.

Previous replies

FALCON63

Nov 27, 2012 9:51PM

The best way to prevent cheating from your spouse is to stay single, have freedom, and remain debt free . Marriage is the nutbuster in sooooooo many ways ! A cheater in a temporary relationship is no problem at all, a replacement is quickly available !