There has been an increasing interest in understanding what motivates individuals to engage in virtual sexual betrayal. Virtual sexual betrayal refers to when someone involved in a romantic relationship or friendship violates trust by sharing their private sexual experiences online without consent from their partner or friend. This behavior can have serious consequences for both parties, including feelings of anger, distrust, and hurt.
To better understand this phenomenon, researchers have explored the role that cognitive factors play in predicting engagement in virtual sexual betrayal. Cognitive factors are psychological processes that influence how people think and behave, such as attention, memory, perception, decision making, and problem solving. In particular, research has focused on three cognitive factors: self-control, impulsivity, and sensation seeking.
Self-control refers to an individual's ability to control their impulses and behavior in response to temptations and desires. Individuals who lack self-control may be more likely to engage in behaviors that they know are harmful or unethical, such as virtual sexual betrayal.
Those with low self-control may experience greater feelings of boredom and dissatisfaction, which could lead them to seek out novel and risky activities like virtual sexual betrayal.
Impulsivity is related to a person's tendency to act quickly and spontaneously without considering the potential consequences of their actions. People high in impulsivity are more prone to acting on immediate desires and urges, even if these actions could cause harm. Studies have found that individuals high in impulsivity tend to report higher levels of virtual sexual betrayal than those low in impulsivity.
Sensation seeking is the desire for intense and new experiences, often involving risk-taking and thrill-seeking. Individuals high in sensation seeking tend to enjoy taking risks and pushing boundaries, both online and offline. They also tend to crave novelty and excitement, which can make them more likely to engage in risky behaviors like virtual sexual betrayal.
These findings suggest that cognitive factors play a significant role in predicting engagement in virtual sexual betrayal. By understanding how these factors influence behavior, researchers and clinicians can develop interventions aimed at reducing the likelihood of virtual sexual betrayal.
What cognitive factors predict engagement in virtual sexual betrayal?
Cognitive factors that may influence individuals' likelihood of being involved in virtual sexual infidelity include perceptions about how risky it is (e. g. , whether they perceive it as more acceptable), how much they value intimacy with their partner compared to sexual adventure, and whether they feel guilty or anxious after the act.