A closer look at the dimensionality of infidelity and its predictors

Further to results discussed in the Proceedings of the 3rd Australasian Psychology of Relationships Conference (2003), the current study examined ways in which attachment, lovestyles, relationship variables (satisfaction, investment, commitment) and environmental variables (quality of alternatives) predicted infidelity in a contemporary Australian sample. Men and women (N=312, aged 18-60 years) participated in the study. While only 20% reported infidelity in their current relationship, 42% reported having been unfaithful to a partner at some time in their lives. The perceived nature of unfaithfulness was explored through respondents indicating whether they ever participated in a list of 25 behaviours with someone other than their primary partner, and whether they thought these behaviours constituted unfaithfulness. These behaviours varied in their level of sexual ambiguity. The dimensionality of infidelity was established via factor analysis of the list, resulting in four factors: Affairs, Fantasy, Flirting, and Outings. On the whole, lovestyle variables were better predictors of these factors than attachment, relationship and environmental variables.