Male vs. Female: Definitions of Cheating

A study from McKenna, Smith, and Green of 104 participants, 62 females and 42 males, found that 33 percent of respondents felt that any form of cybersex was an act of cheating as real as any physical sexual act with someone other than one’s partner, with women being 39 percent more so than men at 23 percent. “Thus 33% of the respondents felt that what occurs in the virtual realm is rather more real than virtual; that sexual actions that take place in cyberspace, in the physical absence of another person, constitute cheating on one’s partner in the same way as if one undertook sexual actions with someone in the flesh. Women are more likely than men to feel that cybersex always, or under some circumstances, constitutes cheating (McKenna, Smith, Green, 2001).”

Have You Ever Felt Like This?

"I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I just can’t help fooling around with other women. During our ten years together, my wife, has never found anything that might imply me having a relationship with another woman….Nowadays, with the Internet and well advanced phones, it’s even easier."
-Anonymous (2005)

While the Internet has helped to shape society in many positive ways it has also been a source of negative influence for many people today. The Internet has provided many outlets for individuals who are no longer able to be involved face to face with others and provided opportunities to stay in contact with others that live long distance and of course the opportunities to meet new people. The Internet is an information highway, it is used to educate people, help businesses thrive and has helped create an entire new marketplace for both businesses and the individual.
While it has had many positive influences it has changed the individual personality. It has made society more impatient and impulsive whether dealing with business, family, or the material, it has given a mind set of "I want it now." The Internet can be an outlet for undesirable behavior such as the creation of false identities and a life of lies, or a life of cheating. Today many use the Internet in means of finding a partner outside of the current relationship. Infidelity by means of the Internet has led to an increase of marital dissolution and other forms of relationships.