Personality mix drives emotional infidelity

A recent study of 303 Romanian adults links emotional infatuation with someone outside a committed relationship to a complex blend of personality traits. The research, published in Psychological Reports, found that high psychopathy, high sociosexuality, low relationship satisfaction, and a lack of faith in humanity all predict greater preoccupation with an alternative partner.

Historically, infidelity has been defined by physical acts, but modern psychology recognizes subtler forms of relationship disengagement. Extradyadic infatuation describes a state where a person maintains their primary relationship but becomes cognitively, emotionally, and motivationally preoccupied with someone else. Study author Teodora-Elena Huțanu, a PhD student at Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, said the team wanted to explore a more nuanced picture beyond simply 'good' versus 'bad' people. A 2019 systematic review found that a combination of personal background and relationship dynamics strongly influences whether someone engages in infidelity.

The personality frameworks involved

The study examined personality using two key frameworks. The Dark Triad consists of Machiavellianism (manipulation and detachment), narcissism (inflated self-importance), and psychopathy (impulsivity and lack of empathy). The Light Triad, introduced in 2019, includes Kantianism (treating people as ends), humanism (valuing individual dignity), and faith in humanity (believing in human goodness). Another measured trait was sociosexuality, which is a person's willingness to engage in casual sex without emotional commitment. Research, such as a 2021 study of young adults, indicates that dark personality traits and an openness to casual sex frequently interact to influence romantic encounters.

Participants, aged 19 to 64 and all in committed relationships, had to report liking or feeling attracted to someone other than their partner. They completed questionnaires assessing these personality traits, their sociosexuality, their relationship satisfaction, and the intensity of their extradyadic infatuation.

Key predictors of emotional infidelity

Initial analysis showed expected patterns: higher Light Triad traits correlated with less infatuation, while higher Dark Triad traits, higher sociosexuality, and lower relationship satisfaction correlated with more. However, a more complicated picture emerged when all factors were analyzed together to find independent predictors.

The final model identified four significant independent predictors of greater extradyadic infatuation. High psychopathy, high sociosexuality, and low relationship satisfaction were reliable predictors. A lack of faith in humanity also predicted higher infatuation, suggesting cynical views about others might lead people to invest less in their primary relationship.

Surprising reversals for two traits

Two traits behaved opposite to expectations in the final analysis. Humanism, a Light Triad trait initially seeming protective, became a positive predictor of infatuation. The researchers suggest the emotional sensitivity and openness characteristic of humanism might make people more receptive to forming deep, emotionally meaningful connections with alternative partners.

In contrast, Machiavellianism, a Dark Triad trait, became a negative predictor. The study authors propose that because extradyadic infatuation requires sustained emotional and cognitive energy, people high in Machiavellianism might avoid such intense attachments due to their preference for strategic, detached interactions. Narcissism and Kantianism did not emerge as statistically significant predictors.

“What surprised us most was that, even when looking at extradyadic infatuation as a more cognitive, emotional, and motivational form of infidelity, some less adaptive psychological characteristics still remained relevant,” Huțanu explained. “The unexpected changes in direction for Machiavellianism and Humanism were also particularly informative.”

Study limitations and future directions

The study has several limitations. The sample was mostly women, which may limit generalizability to men. The researchers did not account for different relationship agreements, such as consensual non-monogamy, which might alter how traits interact with satisfaction. Importantly, the study assessed infatuation, not actual infidelity behavior. Huțanu noted they cannot determine whether participants acted on their attraction.

Because data was collected at one point in time, the findings cannot determine causality. Huțanu stated her future research aims to clarify how these emotions unfold over time and whether infatuation translates into behavioral infidelity. She is confident this research begins a broader effort to highlight more nuanced perspectives on infidelity, which may be psychologically more complex than its behavioral expression suggests.