Clingy partners are most likely to cheat
According to researchers at the Florida State University, partners who are clingy, are probably insecure and most likely to cheat. The new study reveals that insecure people who find it hard to trust, are more likely to cheat, compared to their more confident counterparts. The researchers studied 200 newlyweds over period of four years.
The couples were regularly asked to complete questionnaires about their feelings toward their spouse and how secure their felt in the relationship. According to Psychology Today, those who displayed needy behaviour and were anxious about being abandoned by their partner were more likely to seek love or sex outside their marriage. Interestingly, the same was found to be true of the spouses of those who feared abandonment.
"Attachment anxiety produces enough of a threat to intimacy to motivate spouses to seek out alternative partner," said lead researcher Michelle Russell in the Daily Mail.
Researchers added that this was only true for one form of insecure attachment style. The study found that people with other form of insecure attachment style that was associated with greater independence were least likely to be unfaithful.
Michelle Russel noted that those who enjoyed a stable relationship with their parents develop a 'secure' attachment style. As an adult this translates to being able to trust that a partner will care for them and will make their wellbeing a priority. People who have insecure attachment styles either fear abandonment or battle to retain their independence in a bid to avoid being rejected.
