People find different reasons for cheating, and it's not always easy to understand how to stop it.
Researchers conducted three double-blind, randomized experiments to investigate whether adopting a partner's point of view could reduce the temptation to cheat in their romantic relationships.
Let's find out more.
Empathy can help
The study found that perspective-taking not only effectively reduced the urge to cheat but also acted as a deterrent against other behaviors that could harm a partnership.
The research involved 408 participants in monogamous relationships, and the experiments evaluated their responses to attractive strangers while considering their commitment to and desire for their actual partners.
The results indicated that adopting a partner's point of view increased commitment and desire for the partner while reducing interest in other romantic interests.
While perspective-taking doesn't eliminate cheating completely, it decreases the desire to engage in such behaviors by offering a more balanced view of situations.
This approach promotes empathy, understanding, emotional closeness, and caring in relationships, which ultimately strengthens the bond between partners and fosters satisfaction with the relationship, making cheating less likely.
