{"id":96179,"date":"2024-02-29T09:07:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T09:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/?p=96179"},"modified":"2026-07-13T05:57:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-13T05:57:08","slug":"types-of-men-most-likely-to-have-affairs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marriage.com\/advice\/relationship\/types-of-men-most-likely-to-have-affairs\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Common Types of Men Who Cheat in a Relationship"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Girlfriend<\/p>\n

Not every man who cheats does it for the same reason, and lumping them all together rarely helps anyone understand what actually happened. Some affairs grow out of unmet emotional needs, some out of opportunity, and some out of patterns that have little to do with the relationship itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Understanding the different types of men who cheat can bring clarity, whether you’re trying to make sense of a betrayal, spot warning signs early, or simply understand why infidelity happens as often as it does.<\/span><\/p>\n

Research on infidelity has moved past the idea that cheating is one behavior with one cause; instead, it points to distinct motivations behind why people stray. This piece breaks down those patterns so you know what you might be dealing with and what it could mean going forward.<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/span>Why Men Cheat in the First Place<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Understanding why men have affairs starts with looking past the stereotype that it’s always about sex. Infidelity rarely comes down to one single trigger. For some men, it’s a slow drift caused by feeling disconnected or unappreciated at home.<\/span><\/p>\n

For others, it’s less about the relationship and more about impulse, ego, or being in the wrong situation at the wrong time. Understanding why men have affairs means looking at the full picture, not one explanation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Research confirms just how layered those motivations actually are and identifies several infidelity risk factors behind the behavior.<\/span><\/p>\n

Selterman, Garcia, and Tsapelas, publishing in the Journal of Sex Research,<\/span> studied 495 adults<\/span><\/a> who self-reported infidelity and identified multiple distinct motivations, including lack of love, low commitment, neglect, desire for variety, situational factors, and esteem-seeking, with attachment insecurity linked to several of these motivations.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

What this tells us is that infidelity is rarely a simple story. Most affairs begin long before the actual act, in the small distances and unspoken frustrations that build quietly over time. Recognizing those patterns early is far more useful than trying to make sense of them after the fact.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED READING : <\/span>Why Do Married Men Cheat: 13 Possible Reasons & Ways to Cope<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n

<\/span>7 Common Types of Men Who Cheat in a Relationship<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Not all infidelity looks the same, and knowing the different types of men who cheat can make a confusing situation easier to understand. Some patterns are driven by desire, others by neglect, ego, or opportunity, and recognizing which one you’re dealing with can shape what happens next.<\/span><\/p>\n

Below are 7 common patterns, what drives each one, the signs to watch for, and what you can actually do about it.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. The sexually-driven cheater<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"Suspicious<\/p>\n

For this type, infidelity is driven mainly by desire, not dissatisfaction with the relationship itself. He may genuinely love his partner, but he craves variety or feels an urge he can’t resist once the opportunity arises.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s less about what’s missing at home and more about impulse taking over in the moment.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why does it happen?<\/b><\/p>\n

For some men, sexual desire operates almost independently of relationship satisfaction. A strong drive for novelty, combined with low impulse control, can override commitment even when the relationship itself is stable and loving.<\/span><\/p>\n