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LOS ANGELES, CA - The boundaries of what constitutes cheating have long been blurry, until now, thanks to a new study on how we perceive cheating and why. The US study, published in the Sexual and Relationship Therapy journal, found that women have a much broader view of what constitutes cheating than men.
Men, researchers found, are more likely to see only physical acts as cheating. Women, however, also saw emotional acts as cheating – where feelings were involved without anyone actually crossing a physical line.
The study explains, “People who are high in fear of intimacy possess a tendency to inhibit any feelings of love that they may potentially experience.” According to the study, men were much more likely to fall under this category.
People who are more open to forming positive, close and intimate relationships are more sensitive to all possible acts of infidelity and see them as cheating, including fantasizing about other people or watching porn. Women were “significantly” more likely to fall under this category.
The researchers say that understanding your partner’s definition of cheating could help save the relationship. Have the conversation early and set boundaries. And remember what your mom always says “fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!”