Cheaters, Deconstructed

He Feels Neglected

Wanis says that if the passion in your relationship wanes to the extent that a man "feels like he is no longer king and you don't appreciate him, validate him or have regular sex," then he may go outside the relationship to find someone who will meet his needs. "Men who experience emotional voids and feel they are in a loveless and sexless marriage are highly likely to cheat," says Wanis. "Men who do not feel appreciated or acknowledged in their relationships are also prone to seeking that validation from other women." For example, a man who marries a highly successful woman might feel emasculated, or lost in the shuffle, a phenomenon Wanis calls "marrying up but cheating down." And in some cases, he says, a man becomes turned off because his partner has stopped being sexy with him (dressing up) or getting excited around him.