People who feel unable to be their genuine selves in romantic relationships might be more likely to consider cheating on their partners. A recent study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences suggests that individuals with insecure attachment habits and lower levels of emotional closeness tend to have a higher inclination toward infidelity. These findings provide evidence that cheating is often linked to unmet emotional needs and personal vulnerabilities rather than simply malicious intentions.
Teodora-Elena Huţanu and Andrei Corneliu Holman, researchers at the Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iaşi in Romania, wanted to look beyond the moral judgments that typically surround infidelity. They specifically focused on how an individual’s attachment style might relate to their ability to be authentic.
“While people often condemn infidelity as a purely intentional wrongdoing, the psychological drivers behind this behavior are frequently misunderstood. I was interested in whether infidelity might sometimes reflect personal vulnerabilities – such as insecure attachment patterns and reduced authenticity – which may be associated with lower emotional intimacy within relationships,” explained Huţanu, a PhD student.
“While previous research has focused largely on relationship dissatisfaction and other relationship factors as predictors of infidelity, I wanted to go a step further and explore the role of individual characteristics in shaping relational climate and the propensity towards infidelity.”
“I was particularly interested in how insecure attachment may relate to authenticity, potentially leading individuals to suppress important parts of themselves in order to feel comfortable. Understanding these underlying dynamics may help us move from blame to insight and toward healthier relationships.”
“On a more personal note, my interest in this topic was also shaped by the realization that infidelity can occur even when positive feelings toward a partner are still present. This led me to reflect on how such experiences may be less about the partner or the relationship itself and more about one’s own internal processes.”
To investigate these dynamics, the researchers recruited 307 Romanian adults through social media platforms, specifically Facebook and Instagram. All participants were currently in a committed romantic relationship, as those who answered otherwise were excluded from the final data set. The study group included individuals ranging in age from 18 to 60, with an average age of roughly 30 years old.
The participants completed a series of online questionnaires designed to measure four specific psychological concepts. First, the surveys assessed insecure attachment styles, which generally fall into two distinct categories. Anxious attachment involves a deep fear of rejection, feelings of worthlessness, and a constant need for reassurance from a partner.
The other category is avoidant attachment, which is characterized by emotional distance and a general discomfort with closeness. People with avoidant attachment habits often exhibit permissive attitudes toward infidelity and seek outside validation. Both of these insecure attachment styles have previously been linked to a higher likelihood of cheating.
Next, the researchers measured personal authenticity, which refers to a person’s ability to live in alignment with their true thoughts, feelings, and desires without bending to outside pressures. The participants also answered questions about the level of emotional intimacy in their current relationship. Emotional intimacy involves partners openly communicating their feelings, ideas, and concerns with one another.
Finally, the surveys measured each participant’s individual propensity toward infidelity. This concept refers to a person’s general inclination or willingness to engage in emotional or sexual betrayals with a third party. The participants rated statements on a numerical scale to indicate how much they agreed or disagreed with various infidelity-related scenarios.
The data revealed several interconnected relationships among these psychological traits across the study sample. The scientists found that individuals with higher levels of insecure attachment, both anxious and avoidant, tended to report significantly lower authenticity and lower emotional intimacy. At the same time, these specific insecure attachment styles were positively associated with a greater overall propensity toward infidelity.
When the researchers analyzed all the factors together using statistical models, they found that lower authenticity and lower emotional intimacy were significant predictors of a higher inclination to cheat. Anxious attachment also remained a strong positive predictor of this tendency, even when accounting for a participant’s age and gender. The contribution of avoidant attachment to the prediction of infidelity became non-significant when controlling for the other psychological factors.
This specific pattern provides evidence for a complex chain of behavioral events. The researchers propose that individuals with insecure attachment styles are less authentic, which deters them from being open with their romantic partners. This lack of openness lowers the emotional intimacy in their relationship, which in turn increases their tendency to seek out outside relationships.
“The negative association between authenticity and propensity towards infidelity was a genuinely new and important insight,” Huţanu told PsyPost. “Neglecting one’s true self – what one truly thinks, feels, and desires – is associated with emotional disconnection within a relationship and with greater propensity towards infidelity.
“If individuals are not honest with themselves, it may become difficult to be authentic with their partners, which may implicitly increase the likelihood of seeking connection elsewhere. Could extradyadic involvement sometimes be perceived as a space where individuals feel freer to express their authentic selves? This possibility highlights the importance of fostering authenticity within primary relationships.”
“One important takeaway is that infidelity is not always driven by bad intentions, but may also be linked to unmet emotional needs and personal vulnerabilities,” Huţanu continued. “Our findings suggest that low authenticity and insecure attachment patterns are associated with reduced emotional intimacy, which in turn are related to a greater propensity toward seeking connection outside the relationship.
“This perspective shifts the focus from blame to self-understanding. Becoming more aware of one’s attachment dynamics and striving to be more authentic within a relationship may help strengthen emotional connection and reduce the likelihood of seeking connection elsewhere. Ultimately, fostering authenticity and emotional openness may function as protective factors for relationship stability and well-being.”
As with all research, there are some limitations to consider. Because the study measured all variables at a single point in time, the data does not prove that a lack of authenticity directly causes infidelity. Instead, the findings suggest that these personal and relationship struggles tend to be linked in important ways.
“It is also important to recognize that individuals differ greatly, and each person’s context, experiences, and relationship dynamics may shape their likelihood of engaging in infidelity,” Huţanu noted. “Therefore, these results should be viewed as highlighting potential psychological vulnerabilities, not as deterministic explanations of behavior.”
Looking ahead, the researchers hope to conduct long-term studies to better understand the cognitive and emotional mechanisms linking authenticity and infidelity. They aim to observe how changes in a person’s authenticity over time might impact their relationship choices.
“My long-term goal for this line of research is to deepen the understanding of the cognitive and emotional mechanisms underlying the link between authenticity and infidelity,” Huţanu said. “I would also like to investigate how changes in authenticity might reflect on the relationship context. Specifically, I am interested in whether becoming more authentic encourages individuals to remain in the same relationship and stop infidelity, or whether it might lead them to choose a different partner.”
The study, “Insecure, detached, and unfaithful: Propensity towards infidelity as predicted by authenticity, emotional intimacy and insecure attachment styles,” was authored by Teodora-Elena Huţanu and Andrei Corneliu Holman.
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