Infidelity (synonyms include cheating , straying , adultery , being unfaithful , two-timing , or having an affair ) is a violation of a couple's emotional and/or sexual exclusivity that commonly results in feelings of anger , sexual jealousy , and rivalry .
What constitutes infidelity depends on expectations within the relationship. In marital relationships , exclusivity is commonly assumed. Infidelity can cause psychological damage, including feelings of rage and betrayal , low sexual and personal confidence , and even post-traumatic stress disorder . [1] People of all genders can experience social consequences if their act of infidelity becomes public, but the form and extent of these consequences can depend on the gender of the unfaithful person. [2]
After the Kinsey Reports came out in the early 1950s, findings suggested that historically and cross-culturally, extramarital sex has been a matter of regulation more than sex before marriage. [3] The Kinsey Reports found that around half of men and a quarter of women studied had committed adultery . [4] The Janus Report on Sexual Behavior in America also reported that one-third of married men and a quarter of women have had an extramarital affair . [4]