Profiling cheaters?

September 5, 2009 12:42 PM

Has a study ever attempted to identify characteristics or behaviors that go along with cheating in relationships?

Has a study ever attempted to identify specific, *tangible* characteristics or behaviors that correlate with cheating in relationships?

Made up example: "People who dance the waltz cheat at X rate compared to people who dance the Charleston." Or, "People who cheat are more likely to have better credit scores."

I'm interested in scholarly, well-designed studies. I know there's a lot of pop psychology out there about this.

posted by Ashley801 to human relations (5 comments total)

[comments removed - let's start over please?]
posted by jessamyn at 2:32 PM on September 5

Yes.
posted by Jaltcoh at 2:44 PM on September 5 [2 favorites]

Thanks Jaltcoh, that's exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

How did you find it? I didn't say so in my OP, but I'm most interested in whether other indicators of reliability or conscientiousness (major ones like credit score and minor ones like perpetual lateness) have ever been studied in relation to cheating.
posted by Ashley801 at 2:55 PM on September 5

Thanks Jaltcoh, that's exactly the sort of thing I was looking for. How did you find it?

No problem! I found it by Googling [infidelity factors study] -- it was on the first page of results.
posted by Jaltcoh at 3:00 PM on September 5

There's this recent study:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090903110806.htm

"Financial imprudence is linked to other impulsive behaviour such as overeating, smoking and infidelity, according to a new study led by UCL researchers, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences."
posted by VikingSword at 4:18 PM on September 5