Heterosexual and homosexual infidelity: The importance of attitudes towards homosexuality

A substantial body of research has investigated male and female responses to sexual and emotional infidelity. However, whilst the cross-cultural and historical incidence of homosexuality suggests that homosexual infidelity may also threaten romantic relationships, there is little awareness of those factors which may influence distress in response to a partner's sexual affair with a same-sex mate. Heterosexual men (N = 56) and women (N = 42) aged 17-26 yrs were opportunity sampled from a British University. Participants were presented with hypothetical scenarios describing their partner's heterosexual or homosexual (sexual) affair. Participants also completed the Heterosexual Attitudes Toward Homosexuality (HATH) scale (Larsen, Reed, & Hoffman, 1980). Findings indicate that men and women are more distressed by a partner's homosexual compared to heterosexual infidelity. The study also demonstrated that attitudes to homosexuality significantly predict male but not female responses to homosexual infidelity. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.