Skip to main content icon/video/no-internet
icon backReturn to Entries

Extradyadic Sex

Extradyadic refers to a wide range of behaviors occurring outside of a committed relationship. Most research focuses on vaginal sex occurring outside of a marital relationship. However, behaviors can range from intense emotional relationships or close friendships, to kissing, oral sex, or other sexual behaviors, and the primary dyad need not be married. Extradyadic behavior that takes place on the Internet is a burgeoning area of research, focusing on individuals who engage in secretive, often sexually charged interactions with others online. Extradyadic relationships are often characterized as emotional or sexual in nature. Emotional relationships involve an intense friendship or romantic bond, but lack a physical or sexual component. Sexual relationships are considered to be purely physical, without emotional connection or commitment. Some researchers have suggested that infidelity more often exists on a continuum of sexual and emotional involvement.

A distinguishing feature of infidelity is that it occurs without the awareness or sanction of one's partner. If both partners are aware of and consent to extradyadic activities, such an arrangement would be considered an open marriage or relationship; these types of relationships are more common among gay men but do also occur among heterosexual couples and lesbians. Unless otherwise stated, extradyadic sexual intercourse among heterosexual and same-sex couples, not condoned by both members of the primary dyad, is the focus of the current entry. Infidelity, extramarital sex, extrarelational sex, affairs, cheating, and adultery are other terms used to describe this type of extra-dyadic sex. In this entry, the prevalence of and attitudes toward infidelity will be described as will decisions about ending affairs, followed by correlates of infidelity and emotional and relationship outcomes. Finally, therapeutic implications and methodological issues are discussed.

Prevalence

Studies of infidelity among heterosexuals conducted during the past several decades suggest that between 20 and 40 percent of men and between 20 and 25 percent of women have ever engaged in extramarital affairs. In one study, 45.2 percent of gay men who indicated that they were in committed, monogamous relationships reported that they or their partner had sex with a third party since the beginning of their relationship. Data from national, representative samples, however, such as the 1994 General Social Survey and the National Health and Social Life Survey, suggest lower rates of infidelity. Specifically, data from national surveys indicate 23 to 25 percent of men and 12 to 15 percent of women have ever engaged in extramarital sex, with between 1 and 4 percent doing so in the past year.

Attitudes toward Infidelity

Results suggest that attitudes toward infidelity are most often negative, although men report more favorable attitudes than do women. Men and women typically evaluate infidelity in committed dating relationships less negatively than infidelity occurring among married couples. Some research suggests that women are more accepting of sexual infidelity than of emotional infidelity, and men are more accepting of emotional infidelity than of sexual infidelity. In general, however, emotional infidelity is more accepted than sexual infidelity is.

Correlates of Infidelity

Much of the infidelity research has focused on correlates of transgressing behaviors. The most widely cited predictors and correlates of infidelity can be broken down into three subcategories: demographic factors, interpersonal factors, and individual factors. However, study results vary widely; as a result, clear predictors of infidelity are difficult to determine.

...

  • Loading...
locked icon

Sign in to access this content

Get a 30 day FREE TRIAL

  • Watch videos from a variety of sources bringing classroom topics to life
  • Read modern, diverse business cases
  • Explore hundreds of books and reference titles

Read next

More like this

Sage Recommends

We found other relevant content for you on other Sage platforms.

close

Have you created a personal profile? Login or create a profile so that you can save clips, playlists and searches

close
close
close Signed In to profile You are signed in as:
close
Logged in Institution Institution