Identifying Men's Intellectual and Behavioral Reaction after Spousal Infidelity: A Phenomenological Study

Subject Areas : Psychology

Maryam Avani ¹ , hasan zareei ² , hoseein Afrasiabi ³

1 - Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Yazd University. Yazd. Iran.
2 - Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.
3 - Associate Professor of Sociolgy, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran.

Received: 2020-09-10 Accepted : 2021-04-25 Published : 2023-02-20

Keywords: phenomenology, men who have been betrayed by spouse, undivorced men, extramarital relations, infidelity,

Abstract :

The purpose of this study was to identify undivorced men's intellectual and behavioral reactions after discovering their spouse's extramarital relationships. The research method was qualitative by descriptive phenomenological method. The research environment was all of betrayed men in Yazd province who had not divorced after their spouse infidelity, in 2019. Using purposive sampling, and snowball sampling, 12 participants were selected. The method of collecting data was semi-structured in-depth interviews, which were analyzed based on Colaizzi method, which is one of the phenomenological methods. The results showed that men's reactions were summarized in four main categories or themes: maladaptive immediate reactions, self-sacrifice, thoughtful arrangements and rumination. These main categories were divided into fifteen sub-categories. Thus, the reaction of betrayed men, from rational behaviors to high-risk emotional behaviors, reflects the fact that infidelity and extramarital relation of women can activate men's intellectual and behavioral reactions. In other words, it is possible that a spouse's annoying mental reaction may lead to high-risky behaviors and lead to worse events.

References:

Aminiha, A., Farahbakhsh, K., & Esmaili, M. (2015). Qualitative inquiry in couple responses to disclosure of marital infidelity. Journal of Family Counseling & Psychotherapy, 5(3), 72- 92. [In Persian]

Asayesh, M. H., Farahbakhsh, K., Salimi, H., & Delavar, A. (2018). Explanation of Experiences and Emotional Reactions in Women Victims of Infidelity: A Qualitative Study. Journal of Qualitative Research in Health Sciences, 6 (4), 355-372. [In Persian]

Avani, M., Zareei Mahmoodabadi, H. (2020). Investigation on the Reasons and Backgrounds of Women's Extramarital Relations from Men's Perspective: A Grounded Theory.  Journal of Family Counseling and Psychotherapy, 10 (1), 125-150. [In Persian]

Bird, M. H., Butler, M. H., & Fife, S. T. (2007). The process of couple healing following infidelity: A qualitative study. Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy, 6(4), 1-25.

Blow, A. J., & Hartnett, K. (2005). Infidelity in committed relationships I: A methodological review. Journal of marital and family therapy, 31(2), 183-216.

Brand, R. J., Markey, C. M., Mills, A., & Hodges, S. D. (2007). Sex differences in self-reported infidelity and its correlates. Sex Roles, 57(1-2), 101-109.

Drigotas, S. M., Safstrom, C. A., & Gentilia, T. (1999). An investment model prediction of dating infidelity. Journal of personality and social psychology, 77(3), 509.

Emami, S.A., Dehghan, N., Rahnavard, Z., & Nori, A. (2013). Qualitative Research Methodology: Phenomenology. Journal of Holistic Nursing and Midwifery. 22(2), 53-56. [In Persian]

Glass, S. P. (2002). Couple therapy after the trauma of infidelity. In A. S. Gurman & N. S.Jacobson (Eds.), Clinical handbook of couple therapy (pp. 488-507). New York, NY, US: The Guilford Press.

Greeff P, Hildegarde L. Malherbe, A. (2001). Intimacy and marital satisfaction in spouses. Journal of Sex &Marital Therapy, 27(3), 247-257.

 Habibi, A. M., & Hajiheydari, Z. (2015). A qualitative study for investigating the reasons of sexual infidelity of couples who have asked for divorce in family court. Journal of Family Research,11(2), 165-186. [In Persian]

Harley, W. F., & Chalmers, J. H. (2013). Surviving an affair: Revell.

Jackman, M. (2015). Understanding the cheating heart: What determines infidelity intentions? Sexuality & Culture, 19(1), 72-84.

Iranizadeh, j., Zareei Mahmoodabadi, H., Vaziri, S., Afshani, A. (2020). Exploring a family consolidation model based on the Lazaruse Multifaceted theory among couples in Yazd city (Qualitative). Tolooebehdasht Journal, 18(5), 27-40. [In Persian]

Kamali, S., Ameri, F., khosravi, Z., & Ramzani, M. (2018). Lived Experience of Women of Their Husbands’ extramarital Relationships: A phenomenological Study. Journal of Family Research, 14(1), 95-112. [In Persian]

Khedmatgozar, H., Bolhari, J., & karamlo, S. (2015). Spouse infidelity: ways to prevent and deal with infidelity. 3d pub, Tehran: Ghatreh. [In Persian]

Levine, S. B. (2005). A clinical perspective on infidelity. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 20(2), 143-153.

Mahmoodabadi, H., Bahrami, F., Ahmadi, A., Etemadi, O., & Fatehizade, M. (2012). The effectiveness of training attribution styles (Cognitive therapy) on dimentuons of family functioning divorce applicant couples. International journal of psychological studies, 4(2), 257-263.

Mohammadpur, A. (2013). Qualitative Research Method Counter Method2: The Practical Stages and Procedures In Qualitative Methodology. 2d pub. Tehran: Sociologists Publications. [In Persian]

Morrow, R., Rodriguez, A. and King, N. (2015). Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method. The Psychologist, 28(8), 643-644.

Olson, M. M., Russell, C. S., Higgins‐Kessler, M., & Miller, R. B. (2002). Emotional processes following disclosure of an extramarital affair. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 28(4), 423-434.

Pourmovahed, Z., Mazloomy, S., & Zareei Mahmoodabadi, H. (2018). Deficiency of Self-efficacy in Problem-solving as a Contributory Factor in Family Instability in Yazd (Iran): A Qualitative Study. Iran J Psychiatry, 13(1), 32-9. [In Persian]

PourMovahhed, Z., Zareei Mahmoodabadi, H., Yassini Ardekani, M., & et al. (2018).Validation of the Family Stability Questionnaire in married couples: a confirmatory factor analysis. Electronic Physician, 10(8), 7185-7195.

Rafeie, A., Kalantari, M., Neshat Doust, H., & Hamid, O. (2017). Personal Constructs of Betrayed Spouses’ Understanding of Forgiveness. Journal of Family Research, 13(1), 131-152. [Persian]

Saroukhani, B. (2014). Sociology of Family. 2d ed, Tehran: Sorosh. [In Persian]

Shackelford, T. K., LeBlanc, G. J., & Drass, E. (2000). Emotional reactions to infidelity. Cognition & Emotion, 14(5), 643-659.

Yarmohamadian, A., Reyhani, F., & Ghaderi, Z. (2012). The Relationship between Emotional Intelligence and Defense Mechanisms in Divorcing and Normal Couples.  Journal of Psychological Models and Methods, 2(1), 47-61. [In Persian] Yeniceri, Z., & Kökdemir, D. (2006). University students' perceptions of, and explanations for, infidelity: The development of the Infidelity Questionnaire (INFQ). Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, 34(6), 639-650.

ZareeiMahmoodabadi, H., Younesi, J. (2009). The Effectiveness of Cognitive Techniques on Improvement of Family Function in Mal-Adjusted Couples. Journal of Daneshvar Raftar, 29, 35-52. [In Persian]

ZareeiMahmoodabadi, H., Sardadvar, N., & Nasirian, M. (2018). Effectiveness of Psycho educational Intervention in improving symptoms of patients with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and General Family functioning of Companions. Iranian Red Crescent Medical journal, 20(12):e58377. [Persian]

ZareeiMahmoodabadi, H., & Zarei, F. (2018). The effect of Divorce counseling based on Guttmann’s Approach on the self- efficacy in divorce management of couples applying divorce. Social Behavior Research & Health, 2(2), 219-227. [In Persian]