A number of investigators have speculated on the causes of the high divorce rate in the United States. One cause is the comparative ease of obtaining no-fault divorces since the liberalization of divorce laws in the 1970s. Obtaining a divorce has become a sim­pler, less expensive legal process, and as divorces have occurred more often, […]

Almost 96% of adults in the United States today have married during their lifetime, and more than 50% of couples in the United States remain in their first marriage (Hei — man et al., 2011). Research confirms that the proportion of all marriages—first, sec­ond, or more—ending in divorce increased dramatically since the 1950s, when one […]

Involvement in an extramarital affair can have serious consequences for the partici­pants, including loss of self-respect, severe guilt, stress associated with leading a secret life, damage to reputation, loss of love, and complications of sexually transmitted infec­tions. The dynamics of the secrecy typically have damaging effects on the quality of the couple’s relationship. The secrecy […]

With access to the Internet and websites designed specifically for those interested in extramarital affairs, the opportunity for an individual to develop intimate, secret relationships outside his or her committed relationship has taken on new dimensions (Hymowitz, 2011; Wysocki & Childers, 2011). Even a secret e-mail relationship can become emotionally charged and easily cross the […]

Various complex theories abound on the reasons for nonconsensual extra­marital sex. In part, intrinsic conflicts in human nature contribute. As author Erica Jong explained, "We are pair-bonding creatures—like swans or geese. We can also be as promiscuous as baboons or bonobos. Those are the two extremes of human sexuality, and there are all gradations of […]

It is difficult to determine accurately how many people have affairs because people may be reluctant to admit to an affair, even for research. For example, a study of almost 5,000 married women found that in face-to-face interviews, 1% of the women said that they had been unfaithful to their husbands in the last year, […]

Extramarital Sexuality in Other Cultures The Aborigines of Western Australia’s Arnhem Land openly accept extramarital sexual relationships for both wives and husbands. They welcome the variety in experience and the break in monotony offered by extramarital involvements. Many report increased appreciation of, and attachment to, their spouse as a result of such experiences. The Polynesian […]

Test the strength of your relationship in this quiz prepared by John Gottman. True or False 1. I can name my partner’s best friends. 2. I can tell you what stresses my partner is currently facing. 3. I know the names of some of the people who have been irritating my partner lately. 4. I […]

Compared with Kinsey’s research groups, married women and men in the United States today appear to be engaging in a wider repertoire of sexual behaviors and enjoying sexual interaction more. The frequency and duration of sexual play before intercourse have increased, with more people focusing on such play itself rather than viewing it as preparation […]

Studies conducted by psychologist John Gottman and his colleagues have revealed sur­prisingly accurate criteria for predicting marital success. Gottman did not study long­term cohabiting gay and lesbian couples. Some of his findings would apply to same-sex couples, but the patterns based on male-female relationships do not. Gottman and his associates identified a number of patterns […]