Are There Religious Variations in Marital Infidelity?
Amy M. Burdette1*,
Christopher G. Ellison2,
Darren E. Sherkat3,
and
Kurt A. Gore2
1 Carolina Population Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
2 The University of Texas at Austin
3 Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: burdamy{at}prc.utexas.edu.
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Abstract |
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Although previous scholarship has examined the relationship between religious involvement and a wide range of family outcomes, the relationship between religion and extramarital sexual behavior remains understudied. The authors investigate how religious affiliation, participation, and biblical beliefs explain differences in self-reported marital infidelity. This study examines data from the 1991-2004 General Social Surveys and finds that religious factors are associated with the likelihood of marital infidelity. Both church attendance and biblical beliefs are associated with lower odds of self-reported infidelity. Additionally, the authors find substantial denominational variations in the odds of marital infidelity, particularly among those who strongly affiliate with their religious group.
