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Stay-At-Home Dads More Likely To Cheat
There’s nothing more romantic than a man with a baby. But you might not be the only chick magnetized by your stay-at-home spouse.
A new study from Cornell University found that men who are financially dependent on their partners are more likely to cheat. Women, on the other hand, were more faithful to partners who support them financially.
Overall, the study found evidence of adultery being relatively rare: only 7 percent of men and 3 percent of women cheated during the three-year research period.
Christin Munsch, the Cornell PhD candidate who led the research, thinks stay-at-home husbands are more likely to cheat because having a wife bring home the bacon makes them feel like less of a man. Or, in her words:
Making less money than a female partner may threaten men’s gender identity by calling into question the traditional notion of men as breadwinners.
It may also give men more free time to run around. Just saying.
It’s not just stay-at-home hubbies who step out more frequently, though. Men earning a lot more money than their wives were also more likely to cheat. The least likely adulterers were men who made the same income as their wives or just a little more.
There’s a logic there, maybe, that’s not about cultural stereotypes of manhood. Having one partner depend on another financially is stressful for any relationship. That earning gap can drive a wedge between partners that might well push them towards cheating.
What do you think? Does a big income gap make extramarital sex more likely? Do you worry about this in your relationships?
Photo: singleparentspecials
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[...] Stay-At-Home Dad More Likely To Cheat Says People With Clipboards. [...]
Opinion: Stay-At-Home Dads Cheat, But Not For The Reasons You Think | nOOb Dad commented on Aug 17 10 at 9:27 amAmy commented on Aug 16 10 at 4:16 pmMy SO is a SAHD and he is way too busy to even think about cheating. We never discuss incomes – I was a SAHM for the first year and a half and now it is his turn to spend time with our daughter. When we feel she is ready to go out into the world of daycare, or school, whichever comes first- then we will go back to a two-income home. Right now, it is about her.
bob commented on Aug 16 10 at 4:40 pmIt’s probably not so much about having time to cheat. “The trend is particularly strong in subgroups that may hold the idea of traditional masculinity in high regard, like Latino men.”
Also of note, the study found that men were also more likely to cheat when they made a lot more than their partners.
TC commented on Aug 16 10 at 5:39 pmHonestly, if someone is going to cheat on their spouse, its probably a bit more than just who stays home or who brings home the income. Its a matter of ethics and working on a relationship and what it was founded on.
Jean-Francois Rodrigues commented on Sep 03 10 at 4:29 amI was a full-time househusband for a over 7 years and I did begin to attract more attention from the opposite sex. So i can see there being more opportunity to cheat , but I agree with the comment above , If you are the type to cheat you will cheat. I never felt the desire to cheat even with the added attention , but was more focused on bring up my children and trying no to mess-up as i had no idea of what the hell i was doing . The Reluctant Mr Mum website http://www.jfrodrigues.co.uk
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