1. Deception in Undergraduate Romantic Relationships: Who's Lying and Cheating?
- Author
-
Easterling, Beth, Kahn, Samantha, Knox, David, and Hall, Scott S.
- Abstract
Undergraduates (11,497) at two mid size universities completed a self-administered 100 item online survey including items related to deception in one's romantic relationships. Over two thirds (69%) reported that they had lied, 44% reported that they had cheated and 16% reported that they had misrepresented their "body count" (number of previous partners) to a romantic partner. While other variables (being female, having been in an emotionally abusive relationship and having been pressured to have sex by a partner), had higher explanatory value than race, respondents from minority groups reported higher lying and cheating rates than white respondents, potentially due to societal and cultural variables (MEES: mundane extreme environmental stress theory). Results may assist family life educators/practitioners to better understand the behaviors and experiences of college students in regard to romantic relationships, STIs, infidelity and the promotion of fulfilling relationships.
- Published
- 2019