People who feel like they can’t be their authentic selves in a relationship may be more likely to consider cheating on their partner. Recent research published in journals personality and individual differences suggests that people with insecure attachment habits and low levels of emotional intimacy tend to have a higher propensity for infidelity. These findings provide evidence that cheating is often related to unmet emotional needs and personal vulnerabilities, rather than simple malice.
Teodora-Elena Hushanu and Andrei Corneliu Holman, researchers at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University in Iași, Romania, wanted to look beyond the moral judgment surrounding infidelity. They focused specifically on how an individual’s attachment style relates to their ability to be authentic.
“People often condemn infidelity as purely intentional cheating, but the psychological factors behind this behavior are often misunderstood. I wonder if infidelity sometimes reflects an individual’s vulnerability, i.e. anxiety. We were interested in whether this reflected a fixed attachment pattern or less trust, which could be associated with less emotional intimacy in relationships,” Hushanu, a doctoral student, explained.
“While previous research has primarily focused on relationship dissatisfaction and other relationship factors as predictors of infidelity, I wanted to go a step further and explore the role of relationship climate and individual characteristics in shaping infidelity tendencies.”
“I was particularly interested in how insecure attachment is related to authenticity, and how individuals may repress important parts of themselves in order to feel comfortable. Understanding these underlying dynamics may help us move from blame to insight and to healthier relationships.”
“On a more personal note, my interest in this topic was shaped by the realization that infidelity can occur even when positive feelings toward the partner still exist. This led me to think about the possibility that such experiences are less about the partner or the relationship itself, and more about one’s own internal processes.”
To investigate these trends, researchers recruited 307 Romanian adults through social media platforms, specifically Facebook and Instagram. All participants were currently in a committed romantic relationship, as participants who answered otherwise were excluded from the final dataset. The study group included individuals ranging from 18 to 60 years old, with an average age of approximately 30 years.
Participants completed a series of online questionnaires designed to measure four specific psychological concepts. First, the study assessed insecure attachment styles, which generally fall into two distinct categories. Insecure attachment involves a deep fear of rejection, feelings of worthlessness, and a constant need for reassurance from a partner.
Another category is avoidant attachment, which is characterized by emotional distance and a general discomfort with intimacy. People with avoidant attachment habits are more tolerant of infidelity and often seek external validation. Both of these insecure attachment styles have previously been associated with a higher likelihood of cheating.
Next, the researchers measured individual trustworthiness. This refers to an individual’s ability to live according to his or her true thoughts, feelings, and desires without succumbing to external pressures. Participants also answered questions regarding the level of emotional intimacy in their current relationship. Emotional intimacy involves partners openly communicating their feelings, ideas, and concerns to each other.
Finally, the study measured each participant’s personal propensity toward infidelity. This concept refers to a person’s general tendency or willingness to commit emotional or sexual betrayal towards third parties. Participants rated the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with various infidelity-related scenarios on a numerical scale.
The data revealed several interrelated relationships between these psychological characteristics across the study sample. Scientists have found that individuals with higher levels of insecure attachment, both anxiety and avoidance, tend to report significantly less trust and lower emotional intimacy. At the same time, these specific insecure attachment styles were positively correlated with an increased overall tendency toward infidelity.
When researchers analyzed all factors together using a statistical model, they found that lower trust and lower emotional intimacy were significant predictors of increased propensity to cheat. Insecure attachment remained a strong positive predictor of this trend even when taking into account participants’ age and gender. When controlling for other psychological factors, the contribution of avoidant attachment to predicting infidelity was no longer significant.
This particular pattern provides evidence of a complex chain of behavioral events. Researchers believe that people with insecure attachment styles may be less conscientious and therefore less open with their partners. This lack of openness reduces emotional intimacy in their relationships and, as a result, increases their tendency to seek external relationships.
“The negative association between conscientiousness and propensity for infidelity was a truly new and important insight,” Fushanu told Cypost. “Ignoring who you really are—what you really think, feel, and want—leads to emotional disconnection in your relationships and increased propensity for infidelity.
“When individuals are not honest with themselves, they may find it harder to be honest with their partner, implicitly increasing the likelihood that they will seek connection elsewhere. Could hyperdyadic relationships be perceived as spaces in which individuals can express their true selves more freely? This possibility highlights the importance of fostering honesty within primary relationships.”
“One of the important lessons is that infidelity is not necessarily caused by malicious intent, but can be related to unmet emotional needs or personal weaknesses,” Hushanu continued. “Our findings suggest that low trust and insecure attachment patterns are associated with lower emotional intimacy, which in turn is related to a greater tendency to seek connection outside of the relationship.
“This perspective shifts the focus from blame to self-understanding. Being more aware of one’s attachment dynamics and striving to be more authentic in a relationship can help strengthen emotional connections and reduce the likelihood of seeking connection elsewhere. Ultimately, promoting authenticity and emotional openness may serve as a protective factor for relationship stability and well-being.”
As with all studies, there are some limitations that should be considered. Because this study measured all variables at a single point in time, the data do not prove that unreliability directly causes infidelity. Rather, this finding suggests that these personal and relational conflicts tend to be related in important ways.
“It is also important to recognize that individuals are very different and that their circumstances, experiences, and relationship dynamics can influence the likelihood of infidelity,” Hushanu said. “Thus, these results should be seen as highlighting potential psychological vulnerabilities, rather than as deterministic explanations for behavior.”
Looking ahead, the researchers hope to conduct longitudinal studies to better understand the cognitive and emotional mechanisms that link authenticity and infidelity. They aim to observe how a person’s trustworthiness changes over time and how it affects their relationship choices.
“My long-term goal for research in this area is to advance our understanding of the cognitive and emotional mechanisms underlying the relationship between authenticity and infidelity,” Hushanu said. “I also want to investigate how changes in conscientiousness are reflected in relationship context. I’m particularly interested in whether being more conscientious leads individuals to stay in the same relationship and stop having an affair, or to choose another partner.”
The study, “Anxiety, Isolation, and Infidelity: Propensity to Infidelity Predicted by Trustworthiness, Emotional Intimacy, and Insecure Attachment Style,” was authored by Teodora-Elena Fushanu and Andrei Cornelieu Holman.
