People who get away with cheating when they believe no one is hurt by their dishonesty are more likely to feel upbeat than remorseful afterward, according to new research published by the American Psychological Association.
In his article "Is There a 'Cheater's High'?" Romeo Vitelli, Ph. D. examines people like the con artist Frank Abagnale to determine whether or not the act of cheating—and getting away with it—can be a positive motivator. As you read, make an outline of the author's psychological analysis and conclusion.
Cheater is used colloquially, but is frowned upon as incorrect. Two-time is used as a verb, not a noun. As others have stated, adulterer and adulteress are the standard, formal terms for people within a marriage.
THE BASICS
Gaslighters and narcissists are chronic cheaters. It doesn't matter how "good" of a partner you are, or how much of your life you've devoted to them (because they demanded it). They will still cheat.
Research in the field of infidelity reveals that there are three distinct personality types correlated with a higher likelihood of cheating: sociopaths, narcissists, and lonely hearts.
The most important thing to remember is what cheating says about a person. They're insecure, impulsive, selfish, and immature. Sometimes, it's a chronic problem that likely won't ever be fixed, just be sure not to ignore the warning signs.
According to the General Social Survey, men are more likely to cheat than women, with 20% of men and 13% of women reporting having sex with someone other than their partner while still married. However, the gender gap varies per age.
MD. Not all narcissists are cheaters, but rates of infidelity are higher among them, which may concern people who are in a relationship with a narcissist. Your partner may show less interest in you, signs of inappropriate online behavior, flirt with others in front of you, and become defensive when you question them.
Cheaters are impulsive, and can't resist taking that risk despite what it might cost them. Cheaters, like bullies, are fueled by power, and drawn to risk. This kind of behavior, however, is a reflection of something deeply rooted inside of them.
For some, cheating is a way to explore repressed parts of the self. These cheaters don't actually want to change the core of who they are; they just want to escape the constraints of that for a little while. They're not looking for another person; they're looking for hidden versions of themselves.
Summary. Micro-cheating involves participating in inappropriate intimate connections with others outside your relationship.
swindler, deceiver, defrauder, grifter, scammer, shark, trickster, victimizer, bilk, con artist, cozener, fraudster.
A common sign of cheating would be if your girlfriend shuts down, avoids conflict, or engages in passive aggressive communication. You may find that you are able to catch her in a lie when things she shares “don't add up.”
The Progression of Infidelity
For one person, it may be micro-cheating that turns into emotional infidelity, followed by physical infidelity. For another, digital infidelity may turn into physical infidelity. Someone who habitually cheats may go through different stages with each partner outside of the relationship.
Flirting is acting on attraction from a distance and trying to establish some type of connection with someone else. It can be considered emotional and mental cheating. When you're attracted to someone, flirting is a way of communicating that interest through subtle (or not-so-subtle) cues.
Of the three dark personality types, psychopathy was most strongly linked to cheating. These findings appear in the September Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied.
Cheaters actually have a deep-seated fear of betrayal themselves. They often feel suspicious and rejected in relationships and use this as an excuse to step out on their partners. Cheating gives philandering folks a feeling of power and control in their lives and relationships.
There are two main categories of infidelity: Physical and Emotional. An affair is generally considered to be a secondary relationship that is a combination of types and possibly fall under both main categories of physical and emotional infidelity.
Here are some narcissism red flags to look out for: Lacking empathy. They seem unable or unwilling to have empathy for others, and they appear to have no desire for emotional intimacy. Unrealistic sense of entitlement.
When a narcissist is caught cheating and lying, they often make up a heap of more lies to convince you that they've been nothing but faithful. Even if you have evidence of cheating, they're likely to deny everything and even project their infidelity onto you.
Narcissists are misogynists. They hold women in contempt, they loathe and fear them. They seek to torment and frustrate them (either by debasing them sexually – or by withholding sex from them). They harbor ambiguous feelings towards the sexual act.
Based on the data, women report the highest rate of infidelity in their 60s, but the rate goes sharply down in their 70s and 80s. Historic data suggests that men have always been more likely to cheat. But in the 1990s, the infidelity rate peaked among men in their 50s.
Infidelity does not mean that the love is gone or never existed. The reality is that you can love someone and still cheat on them. In fact, many affairs happen in relationships that are otherwise very happy.
Research from the past two decades shows that between 20 and 25 percent of married men cheat and between 10 and 15 percent of married women cheat, according to professor Nicholas Wolfinger.