An Analysis of the Effects of Sexual Orientation and Gender on Opinions of Infidelity

Infidelity is a relatively common occurrence, yet there is little research done on how infidelity is understood, with even less work exploring what factors predict those attitudes. This work uses the phenomenon of infidelity... [ view full abstract ]

Infidelity is a relatively common occurrence, yet there is little research done on how infidelity is understood, with even less work exploring what factors predict those attitudes. This work uses the phenomenon of infidelity as a lens through which to view attitudes toward issues of blame and judgment in romantic relationships, and to explore how gender and sexual orientation interact to predict those attitudes.  

In this study, participants read one of several similar vignettes in which a member of an exclusive romantic relationship engages in infidelity.  The vignettes vary by the genders of the people involved, with all combinations of heterosexual and same-sex relationships presented. Participants are then asked questions that gauge their emotional response, sexual judgment, forgiveness tendencies, and aggression, as well as their gender and sexual orientation, and those results aggregated by the gender and orientation of the participant and the vignette.