Cheating Wives and Cheating Husbands Give Different Reasons for Having Extramarital Affairs

Infidelity studies indicate that the percentage of cheating wives is fast approaching the percentage of cheating husbands wives. But the studies also reveal that men and women who are cheating on their spouses give different reasons to justify their extramarital affairs.

The Top Reasons Men and Women Cheat

The top 3 reasons men cheat all relate to sex. But sex is not usually the motivating factor for cheating wives. The top 3 reasons women cheat are tied to unmet emotional needs. Listed below are the reasons cheating husbands and cheating wives most commonly use to justify their extramarital affairs:

Why Men Cheat

The most frequently cited reasons for infidelity among men include

? more sex (the desire for a more active sex life)

? sexual variety (a desire for different kinds of sex)

? opportunistic sex ( taking advantage of an opportunity to have sex without the fear of getting caught)

? to satisfy sexual curiosity (about a specific female)

? a feeling of entitlement (the belief that it's a man's prerogative to cheat)

? the "thrill of the chase"

? the desire to feel important or special

? sexual addiction

Why Women Cheat

The reasons most frequently cited for female infidelity include

? a desire for emotional closeness and intimacy (someone caring to confide in and bond with on an emotional level)

? a desire for attention (wanting be the center of a man's attention again)

? to reaffirm her desirability (To feel validated as a woman)

? to re-experience feelings of romance

? a desire to feel "special"

? boredom

? loneliness

? sexual excitement

Infidelity Studies Confirm the Reasons Cheating Spouses Give

Granted, these aren't the only reasons men and women cheat. There are other reasons as well. But the bottom line is that men are cheating on their wives primarily for sexual reasons, while women are cheating on their husbands mainly for emotional reasons. However, among cheating husbands and cheating wives who are willing to discuss their extramarital affairs, these are the reasons most frequently given. Numerous studies on infidelity bear that out. In one study, 75% to 80% of the men who admitted to having extramarital affairs said that sex was the primary reason. Only 20% of the women who were having extramarital affairs said they did so for purely sexual reasons.

How More Marriages Can be Saved

The most amazing thing about the studies is that the majority of infidelity victims (70% of married women and 54% of married men) have no idea their spouse is having an extramarital affair. In another study, 60% of the people who admitted that they were cheating, said their partner did not know about their affair. This leads to the conclusion that if more people knew how to recognize the warning signs of infidelity, more marriages could be saved. To receive a FREE Report with details about the major signs of infidelity, entitled 21 Categories of Telltale Signs, send an e-mail to InfidelityInfo@gmail.com with "Infidelity Signs" in the subject line.

© 2005 Ruth Houston

About Ruth Houston:

Infidelity expert Ruth Houston is the author of Is He Cheating on You?- 829 Telltale Signs, a comprehensive guidebook which lists practically every known sign of infidelity. Is-He-Cheating-On-You.com For more information about infidelity, cheating husbands, and extramarital affairs visit InfidelityAdvice.com Ruth also conducts infidelity seminars and does personal infidelity consultations.