When you love your partner, you will love them without judging their past. But there's a reason why you need to check the relationship background of your boyfriend/girlfriend.
This is because there's a chance they could be a "serial cheater." If you are suspicious about them, here are the signs you need to check.
Is Your Partner a 'Serial Cheater'?
Spectators look at the 'light art/video mapping installation' of Philipp Geist at the 'Roemer' during the Luminale festival on March 18, 2018 in Frankfurt, Germany. Abstract, painted compositions are projected onto buildings' facades.
Choosing Therapy explained that serial cheaters are individuals who are still cheating on their partners even if they're in a committed, monogamous relationship.
There's really no distinct psychological definition for serial cheating. However, experts said that a serial cheater is an individual with a chronic pattern of relationship infidelity.
Based on existing studies, serial cheaters tend to retain their unfaithful habits throughout their lives. Numerous researchers even discovered that people who already cheat in their past relationships are 3x more likely to cheat on their next partners.
Statistics showed that around 20% of men are likely serial cheaters. Meanwhile, roughly 13% of women have cheated on their spouses.
Cheating is likely happening in men when they are in their 70s and women when they are in their 60s. This is why many individuals always say, "once a cheater, always a cheater."
When they say this, they are referring to partners with serial/chronic cheating habits.
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How to Spot a Serial Cheater
In this photo illustration, the dating app Tinder is seen on the screen of an iPhone on August 14, 2018 in Miami, Florida. The co-founders of Tinder and eight other former and current executives of the dating app are suing the service's current owners for at least $2 billion.
Forbes provided the signs that you can check to know if your partner is a serial cheater. These include the following:
Impulsive Behavior
A 2018 study revealed that people with impulsive behaviors without thinking first are likely to have accepting attitudes toward cheating. This is because these individuals tend to act on their cravings and desires without considering the negative effects on other people.
Always Seeking Validation
Experts explained that many cheaters are people who have troubled pasts. They may have experienced dysfunctional family dynamics and other traumatic events. These negative experiences lead to low self-esteem, feelings of inadequacy, and fear of rejection. Because of this, they think that serial cheating can be their opportunity to seek external affirmation and validation.
Fearing Detachment
Many people who are afraid of detachment are likely to cheat on their partners. If your partner has a very strong desire for emotional and physical closeness, there's a chance he/she has a detachment fear. Surprisingly, the fear of isolation can lead to infidelity since some individuals consider having a "back-up" partner will reduce the risk of experiencing abandonment in case their current boyfriend/girlfriend breaks up with them.
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