The 5 People Your Spouse Is Most Likely to Cheat With

Lauren Vinopal

Husbands and wives who commit infidelity don’t just cheat on their spouses with anyone. They cheat on their partners with people who fall into very specific categories that make them more likely to spark temptation. Whether it’s someone they know already or an opportunistic encounter with a stranger, people tend to cheat in patterns that can be traced by the person in bed with them. People who are worried about their partners cheating may want to look a little closer at the following parties.

Their Colleague

About 36 percent of men and women have cheated with coworkers, according to the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, and those are just the ones who admit to it. There’s also evidence that the better people are at their jobs, the more likely they are to cheat. Many people spend as much time with people from work as they do with their spouses, and when they develop emotional bonds over shared struggles, boundaries can become blurred quickly. It can start with something as seemingly innocent as jokes about having a “work husband” or “work wife,” marriage and family therapist Talal Alsaleem warns.

“This allows the coworkers to overidentify with each other’s struggles which, in return, causes them to play the nurturing, supportive role that should be exclusively reserved for their spouse,” Alsaleem says, noting that temptation can increase depending on marriage stressors, relationship satisfaction, and if their careers have them traveling frequently with colleagues. “Business trips makes it easier and more tempting for individuals to cross those boundaries without raising the suspicion of the partner, who assumes that they’re working.”

Their Neighbor

This wasn’t the type of neighbor Mr. Rogers was referring to, but many extramarital temptations hide in plain sight, namely across the street or next door. Research shows that married people frequently cheat with their neighbors, mostly because infidelity is often motivated by opportunity, and neighbors are right there. Interestingly, data indicates that women cheat with neighbors more than men do, because men are more afraid of getting caught doing it so close to home. However, a majority of men reported that they would not be suspicious of their neighbors having sex with their spouses. This might help to explain why women do it — because they can. Find another person to leave a spare set of house keys with.

Someone at the Gym

Exercise is a great way to maintain physical and mental health, but it may also unfortunately be a great way to find someone to cheat with. Not only is going to the gym one of the most popular excuses to meet up with a fling, nearly three-quarters of Ashley Madison users admitted to working out to keep someone other than their spouses satisfied. On top of that, people tend to get turned on by watching each other exercise, which could elevate this risk. While the temptation to cheat may not be the best excuse to cancel your gym membership and pack on the pounds, it’s a good incentive to look disgusting while working out. Better yet, research shows that couples who workout together stay together. So if you’re really worried about your partner, it might be time to take them up on their invitation to join them at yoga.

A Stranger Online

While spouses are more likely to cheat with someone they already know, social media platforms, dating apps, and other websites have made it much easier to cheat with strangers. Whether it’s Ashley Madison, Tinder, or Craigslist, all anyone needs to start some extramarital trouble is a decent internet connection. And for people with more impulsive personalities, studies suggest that the internet can make cheating more than tempting, but downright addictive. “The internet is a rich source of limitless opportunities for stranger sex,” says clinical psychologist Nancy Irwin.

Their Ex

Social media has not just made it easier for husbands and wives to cheat with strangers, but Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram has made it much easier to reach out to ex–significant others. As much as people may want to believe that they can legitimately be friends with a former lover, Alsaleem argues that more often than not it is a result of poor boundaries with an ex. This can compel people to cheat on their way out of a dying relationship. “Keeping in contact with one’s ex increases the likelihood of cheating with them when things are not working out in their current relationship,” she says. The compulsion to stay friends might even be a symptom of being a psychopath or narcissist, one study found, even when there’s not infidelity involved. Ultimately, it might be best for everyone to resist the urge to catch up over a drink … or three.

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