What is infidelity? Know its five types!

Updated On March 18, 2024 | Published By: shahid | In Interesting Facts , Relationship

Infidelity is common in romantic relationships and also it is on the rise. It leads to separation and heartbreaks. What is infidelity? What are its five types?

The cheating partner has several reasons to cheat. However, lacking of love in a relationship is less commonly quoted as the reason for it. Surprisingly, there might be no remorse or moral guilt in the cheating partner. The cheated partner undergoes a lot of emotional trauma. But it is important to know that the cheated partner should never blame himself or herself for it.

Table of Contents

What is infidelity?

Before we know more about infidelity, it is important to first know what is infidelity?

Infidelity or adultery is the act of disloyalty on the part of a spouse or sexual partner towards the other partner in a romantic relationship or marriage.

A relationship lies on trust and there is an implied, verbal or written promise and commitment in it. When one of the partner breaks this promise, it is infidelity. In this, the cheating partner does a sexual or romantic act with someone other than the spouse or partner with whom he or she had committed.

Five types of infidelity

Infidelity can be opportunistic, obligatory, romantic, conflicted romantic, or commemorative.

Opportunistic adultery

Opportunistic adultery is present when a partner has love for his or her romantic partner but accidentally enters into a sexual connection with someone else too. Such a cheating partner is addicted to alcohol and drugs and has a high risk taking behavior. Circumstances and opportunities drive this person’s sexual acts. According to social psychologist Theresa E. DiDonato:

“Not every act of infidelity is premeditated and driven by dissatisfaction with a current relationship…Maybe they were drinking or in some other way thrown into an opportunity they didn’t anticipate.”

But there can be no excuse for disloyalty. Hence, this too falls in the preview of infidelity even though it is an accidental encounter. Guilt is present but it reduces as likelihood of being caught gets less.

Obligatory adultery

In this type of cheating, the cheating partner is in love with his or her partner, but ends up in a sexual relationship with someone else in order to avoid rejection or to get some approval. Yet, this act is also not justified and reveals the weak-mindedness of the partner who cheats.

Romantic infidelity

In this type of adultery, love in the relationship is lacking. The person continues the relationship due to society and duty reason but has a yearning for love. He is she might find it somewhere else and goes for that extramarital type of a relationship. Theresa explains:

“Sometimes (but not always) a deficit in an existing relationship leads people to have extradyadic affairs,”

The cheating partner misses attention, love and there might be serious marital problems that are overlooked and increase over time.

Conflicted romantic infidelity

In this, the infidel spouse or romantic partner yearns for love and sexual desire with more than one partner. This can occur and it is a very complex and painful situation. Everyone involved gets emotional pain.

Read here: Brooke Schofield comes to know about her ex-boyfriend, Matt Rife’s infidelity during their relationship!

Commemorative adultery

In this, marriage has emotionally collapsed. There is no love or attachment or sexual satisfaction in a relationship and this leads the partner to seek love elsewhere. Theresa elaborates:

“Lacking love and lacking commitment to a current romantic partner are both tied to general feelings of relationship dissatisfaction,”

The cheating partner justifies the infidel act and continues with it. Further, Theresa states:

“Maybe in their established relationship, individuals aren’t engaging in the frequency of sex, style of sex, or specific sexual behaviors that they want,”
“This can contribute to their reasons to cheat.”

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