Worries about infidelity may make some people lose sleep at night, but a recent survey has shown that today’s couples, be they straight or gay, are actually more dedicated and monogamous. We may hear about the cheaters more (especially celebrity cheaters) but the numbers tell a different story, at least in the USA.
The study, published in the journal Family Process, found that levels of infidelity have dropped quite massively between the years 1975 and 2000, showing a very definite trend towards monogamy in straight, gay and lesbian couples.
The percentage of straight men who admitted to sleeping with someone other than their wives was only 10% in 2000, as opposed to 28% in 1975. Among married women, on the other hand, 14% admitted to cheating on their husband, as opposed to 23% in 1975. Yes, it seems that nowadays women are actually more likely to cheat than men, whereas in the past men were 5% more likely to cheat on their wives.
Gay men, often considered the most promiscuous bunch, are still the most likely to sleep with multiple partners but have experienced the biggest move towards monogamy. 59% of men said they’d slept with someone other than their partner, as opposed to 83% in 1975. Lesbians, it seems, are the least likely to cheat or sleep with multiple partners. Only 8% of women claimed to do so, down from 28%.
Of course, as you may have noticed, the latest data used in this study is from 11 years ago, but researchers say it gave them a good view of the trend, as the questions used were the same in 2000 and 1975. It would be interesting to see if this trend continues to this day, but considering the fact that we’re often told society is losing its hold on traditional family values, it’s encouraging to see that the opposite is actually true.
You can read more about this study here.
Written by Shimrit
