Conditions that Promote Breakups as a Consequence of Extradyadic Involvements

Abstract

This study examined the conditions under which extradyadic sexual involvements are likely to lead to a breakup or a continuation of the primary relationship. The issue was investigated by comparing a group of 44 men and women who had all been sexually involved outside their marital or cohabiting relationships, and who had since broken up, with a matched control group of 44 people who also had been involved in such relationships, but who were still living with their primary partners. The results indicated that, compared to the control group, the breakup group reported a significantly higher level of relationship dissatisfaction; attributed their own and their partners' extradyadic relationships more to motives of aggression and deprivation; and mentioned a higher level of conflict generated by these relationships. Furthermore, the breakup group indicated greater disapproval of long-term extradyadic relationships. However, the two groups did not differ in the number of extradyadic relationships, the degree of involvement in the most significant of these relationships, and the comparison level for alternatives. In addition, the attributions for breakups given by the respondents in the breakup group showed that men as well as women tended to overlook their own extradyadic sexual involvements as playing a significant role in the breakups. Men did, however, tend much more often than women to blame their breakups on their partners' extradyadic relationships. Furthermore, there was some evidence, according to both men and women, that partners' extradyadic relationships had a stronger influence on the decision to break up.