Lovers often cheat on their partners for this one key reason, according to researchers
These are some power moves.
New research reveals that the chances of infidelity are “significantly higher” among powerful people.
“In a romantic relationship, these power dynamics might lead the more powerful partner to think they bring more to the table than their less powerful partner,” said professor Gurit Birnbaum, lead author of the study, which was conducted by researchers at Reichman University and the University of Rochester.
Some of the most notorious adulterers include golf legend Tiger Woods, former President Bill Clinton and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
“The more powerful [person] might see this as a sign that they have more options outside the relationship and are more desirable partners in general,” the study says.
People who feel more powerful also rank themselves higher than their partners, according to the research.
This dynamic is exhibited in the infamous affair between Clinton and White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The then-president cheated on his wife, Hillary Clinton, who would go on to become secretary of state.
Researchers carried out four experiments with Israeli participants who had been in monogamous, heterosexual relationships for at least four months.
Participants in the first and second experiments were asked to describe when they felt more powerful than their partner, past or current.
Following that, they wrote a sexual fantasy about someone other than their partner or looked at photos of strangers and decided which ones, if any, they would consider having an affair with.
In the third experiment, participants described the power dynamics in their romantic relationship and worked on a task with an attractive person before rating their sexual desire toward them.
Members of the fourth group were tasked with rating their power and their mate’s and reporting any flirting or sexual activities with someone other than their partner, every day for three weeks.
The experiments concluded that perceptions of power highly predicted a person’s interest in other people.
“Those with a higher sense of power may feel motivated to disregard their commitment to the relationship and act on desires for short-term flings or potentially other, more novel partners if the opportunity arises,” said professor Harry Reis, co-author of the study.
