Can science predict the success of a relationship? Human society has for centuries established the model of monogamy as the most widespread and widespread way of life in terms of love relationships.
Although there are countless relationship models, almost as many as there are people in the world, a study has focused on the monogamous relationship model to try to establish, both the factors that lead to its success (durability) and those that lead to a specific failure, an infidelity. And not only that, but he has also established a way to prevent such romantic failures.
The person in charge of the study, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, is a team of researchers from Florida State University, and they have been the first to find evidence of psychological responses that help a person avoid infidelity (reason probable breakup) and thus achieve a long-term relationship.
What was the study method? The team analyzed the habits of 233 newlywed couples for 3 and a half years, noting intimate details of their relationships and taking into account factors such as marital satisfaction, long-term commitment, if there had been an infidelity and, if after this , they were still together.
Thus, each individual of the couples was asked to evaluate the attractiveness of potential alternative romantic partners to their own. One factor that determined the success of the couple: the tendency to devalue or lower the attractiveness of other potential lovers reduced the risk of infidelity and increased the probability of maintaining the relationship. Faithful people evaluated romantic alternatives much more negatively.
Although the result seems logical, it is not a rational answer. “These reactions are typically automatic,” says Jim McNulty, one of the study’s principal investigators. “These processes are largely spontaneous and effortless, and may be shaped by biology and / or early childhood experiences,” he adds.
Can infidelity be prevented?
The research team believes that these findings could offer psychologists and psychiatrists strategies to help people stay committed to their partners.
While processes can be ingrained to some degree, McNulty also claims that people may be able to ‘train’ their psychological capacity to employ third-party disconnection or devaluation when they are tempted to commit infidelity.
The study also identified some of the most likely scenarios for infidelity, including age, marital satisfaction, sexual satisfaction, partner attractiveness, and short-term relationship history.
Who are the most unfaithful?
The researchers found that younger people and those who were less satisfied with their relationships were more likely to be unfaithful. Results that are not surprising at first glance. For now
More satisfied, more unfaithful
But what did surprise the researchers is that people satisfied with sex in their relationship were more likely to cheat. One likely reason is because they feel more positive about sex in general and would seek it out regardless of how they felt in their main relationship.
That is, they value good quality sex, regardless of where they find it.
