Ladies across the world consistently ask the question, “Why do men cheat?” In a recent study, 200 men were asked about their relationship habits and why they chose to cheat or not to cheat. The answers may be a bit different than those many women expected.

Emotional Miscommunication Can Lead to Cheating
In nearly 50% of all cases of cheating men, emotional problems were the primary cause. According to cheating men, appreciation and a strong emotional bond with a partner is crucial to staying monogamous. Men are often thought of as creatures of sexual need; in many cases, their emotional connection to a partner is downplayed by the myth that men think about sex all the time. Men want to feel appreciated and be told they are doing a good job in the relationship and in other aspects of life. When they feel they are constantly being nagged or harped on to do a better job, they may look elsewhere for that emotional connection.

Men Do Feel Guilt About Cheating
Interestingly enough, about 65% of men who actively cheated on a spouse or partner felt guilt about the choice. To compound this result, nearly 70% never thought they would cheat on a spouse and almost 100% wished they had never made the choice to cheat in the first place. Cheating, it seems, is not an easy choice for men, as many women would like to believe.

What You See is What You Do
Men included in the survey reported having a friend who also cheated in nearly 80% of cases. Male bonds are strong and this result supports that fact. Some may say that men who talk with their friends about cheating may get only talk about the positives of cheating. Just like locker room talk, men often play up the best parts of the action and play down the negatives. When there are problems in a relationship, this locker room talk may affect how the man feels about cheating.

Time is of the Essence
In a world of overtime and long commutes, men often spend more time with their associates at work than they do with their partners at home. This constant togetherness can breed sexual thoughts. About 40% of men who reported cheating on a partner met the other woman at work. This may bring about fright in some women who tend to see their men less often due to work constraints and expectations. When talking with a partner about work relationship etiquette, women simply need to ask their men how they would feel in the same personal situation. If he does not want you taking business trips with a male co-worker, maybe he should think twice about doing the same.

Cheating is not a given in all relationships, but understanding why men cheat can help a couple work on problems before thoughts of cheating take over. Monogamy is an important part of a trusting relationship between two people and an essential part of sexual health.