TherapyTips
scale image for personality tests

Propensity Towards Infidelity Scale

Research suggests that certain personality types are more likely to cheat on their partner than others. This scale may help identify those people.

Mark Travers, Ph.D.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D.

August 25, 2023

Mark Travers, Ph.D., is the lead psychologist at Awake Therapy, responsible for new client intake and placement. Mark received his B.A. in psychology, magna cum laude, from Cornell University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Colorado Boulder. His academic research has been published in leading psychology journals and has been featured in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other popular publications. He is a regular contributor for Forbes and Psychology Today, where he writes about psycho-educational topics such as happiness, relationships, personality, and life meaning. Click here to schedule an initial consultation with Mark or another member of the Awake Therapy team. Or, you can drop him a note here.

Send Message
Schedule Now

Understanding the factors that lead to infidelity is an important topic in clinical and counseling psychology due to its impact on trust, relationship longevity, and individual well-being.

The "Propensity Towards Infidelity Scale," conceived by psychologists Carmen Lisman and Andrei Holman, serves as a pioneering instrument in this context, aiming to quantify an individual's likelihood of cheating on a romantic partner.

Drawing from a range of psychosocial variables, this scale sheds light on the motivations, susceptibilities, and inclinations that underlie a person's fidelity decisions.

As more therapists and researchers turn to this scale for insights, it not only offers a deeper understanding of the reasons behind infidelity but also provides valuable tools for relationship counseling and preventive interventions.

References: Lișman, C. G., & Holman, A. C. (2021). Cheating under the circumstances in marital relationships: The development and examination of the propensity towards infidelity scale. Social Sciences, 10(10), 392.

Step 1: Rate the following statements based on how much you agree with them on a scale of strongly disagree to strongly agree.

1. If my spouse would be unfaithful, it would seem natural to me to have an extramarital relationship.

2. Flirting with another person would make me feel wanted.

3. The lack of sexual relations with my spouse would be a reason for me to have an extramarital relationship.

4. It is plausible for me to have a relationship with someone else than my spouse if I feel emotionally bonded to him/her.

5. My spouse’s long-term absence would make me engage in relationships with other people.

6. Colleagues of the opposite sex represent a potential opportunity for an extramarital affair.

7. If I knew that my spouse would never find out, I could have an extramarital affair.

8. There are certain contexts in which it would be plausible to have an extramarital affair.

9. My spouse’s close relationship with a colleague of the opposite sex would make it likely for me to engage in a relationship with someone else.

10. The fact that other married friends have had extramarital relationships makes me think that it can happen to me.

0 of 0 questions answered

Step 2: Enter your age, gender, region, and first name so we can provide you with a detailed report that compares your test scores with people similar to you.

What is your age?

What is your gender?

What region of the world do you live in?

What is your first name?

Step 3: Check to make sure you've provided answers to all of the statements/questions above. Once you've done that, click the button below to send your responses to Awake Therapy's Lead Psychologist, Mark Travers, Ph.D. He will provide you with an overview of how you scored relative to others (all answers are anonymized and confidential to protect users' privacy). He can also answer any follow-up questions you may have.