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Access Type
WSU Access
Date of Award
January 2023
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Stephanie S. Spielmann
Abstract
Although infidelity is a common behavior with damaging effects on one’s relationship, sparse research has investigated the decision-making mechanisms underlying this behavior. In other words, why do individuals choose to commit infidelity with an extradyadic other, as opposed to engaging in relationship-promoting behaviors to fulfill their relational needs? Current motivational perspectives argue that infidelity emerges as a self-regulatory failure, with unfaithful individuals lacking the resources to withhold from engaging in temptations with extradyadic others. However, the current research examines this question from another angle: Could individuals commit infidelity as a form of strategic goal pursuit? Using the principles of goal pursuit, one study evaluated whether infidelity tendencies were more likely when a sexual goal was more accessible and a current partner was perceived as low in instrumentality to the sexual goal. Experimentally manipulating the accessibility of a sexual goal, hypotheses were that high accessibility of a goal and lower perceived instrumentality of one’s current partner to that goal would lead to decisional conflict in a behavioral choice task when choosing between one’s partner and an extradyadic other for sexual activities, higher ratings of an extradyadic other’s instrumentality to sexual goals, as well as higher self-reported interest in infidelity behaviors with an extradyadic other. Results did not support these main hypotheses, as there were no effects of goal accessibility condition found. Nevertheless, exploratory analyses showed a correlation between infidelity tendencies and self-reported ratings of instrumentality, both sexual and aggregated across goals. In other words, perceiving a current partner as being less helpful and an extradyadic other as more helpful to one’s goals is associated with higher infidelity tendencies. Therefore, future research should aim to further assess this relationship to elucidate the underlying mechanisms for decision-making in infidelity.
Recommended Citation
Szczesniak, Amanda Louise, "Infidelity And Self-Regulation: Could Infidelity Involve Strategic Goal Pursuit?" (2023). Wayne State University Theses. 935.
https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/oa_theses/935