Editing Infidelity (section)

{{Short description|Cheating, adultery, or having an affair}}[[File:Venus and Mars Surprised by Vulcan - Il padovanino (1631).jpg|alt=In a painting, a naked woman reclines on a bed. Her gaze is averted from a muscular, bearded, older man, who gestures decisively. A naked man reclines beside the woman, holding her protectively.|thumb|''[[Venus (goddess)|Venus]] and [[Mars (god)|Mars]] Surprised by [[Vulcan (god)|Vulcan]]'', by [[Alessandro Varotari]]. In [[ancient Roman religion]], Vulcan discovers his wife, Venus, having an affair with Mars.]]{{About|cheating in a relationship|religious disbelief|Infidel|text=For other uses, see [[Cheating (disambiguation)]] and [[Infidelity (disambiguation)]]}}{{Close relationships |practices |image=Parallel Relationship - Infidelity.svg |imagesize=150px |caption=Diagram of parallel relationships (infidelity).}}

'''Infidelity''' (synonyms include '''non-consensual non-monogamy''', '''cheating''', '''straying''', '''adultery''', '''being unfaithful''', '''two-timing''', or '''having an affair''') is a violation of a couple's emotional or sexual exclusivity that commonly results in feelings of [[anger]], [[sexual jealousy]], and [[rivalry]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Regan |first1=Pamela C. |title=Infidelity |journal=The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality |date=2015 |pages=583–625 |doi=10.1002/9781118896877.wbiehs233}}</ref>

What constitutes infidelity depends on expectations within the relationship. In [[marital relationship]]s, exclusivity is commonly assumed. Infidelity can cause psychological damage, including feelings of [[Anger|rage]] and [[betrayal]], depression, low sexual and personal [[Self-esteem|confidence]], and even [[post-traumatic stress disorder]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=How Infidelity Causes Post Traumatic Stress Disorder {{!}} Psychology Today|url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/rediscovering-love/201709/how-infidelity-causes-post-traumatic-stress-disorder|access-date=2021-06-01|website=www.psychologytoday.com|language=en}}</ref> People of both sexes can experience social consequences if their act of infidelity becomes public, but the form and extent of these consequences can depend on the gender of the unfaithful person.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Boyce|first1=Sabrina|last2=Zeledón|first2=Perla|last3=Tellez|first3=Ever|last4=Barrington|first4=Clare|date=April 2016|title=Gender-Specific Jealousy and Infidelity Norms as Sources of Sexual Health Risk and Violence Among Young Coupled Nicaraguans|journal=American Journal of Public Health|volume=106|issue=4|pages=625–632|doi=10.2105/AJPH.2015.303016|issn=0090-0036|pmc=4816077|pmid=26890184}}</ref>