The State of Affairs: Explorations in infidelity and Commitment (Lea's Series on Personal Relationships)

This volume brings together contributions on the study of sexual affairs in committed personal relationships. The editors enlisted colleagues with varied theoretical and methodological perspectives from Britain, the United States, and other countries. Together, their contributions provide a broad, cross-national perspective on affairs. Grounded in theoretical discussion, the chapters in this book introduce data collected by a broad range of methods, including attitude surveys, large statistical cohort studies, case studies, depth interviews, and group discussions. A number of contributors locate the theoretical discussion of affairs within the broader contemporary ordering of committed relationships, contrasting the liberating and empowering aspects of affairs with the damage they may inflict on society as a whole and on the lives of individuals and families. The themes of passion, transgression, secrecy, lies, betrayal, and gossip are common to a range of chapters throughout. The volume provides broad literature reviews and theoretical discussions concerning particular aspects of affairs, such as communication and jealousy. In addition, case studies are used for the more detailed exploration of heterosexual affairs and contemporary developments in gay male and lesbian relationships. The State of Affairs will be of interest to researchers, scholars, and students in social psychology; communication; sociology; family, social, and clinical psychology; and for practitioners in couple counseling. Contents......Page 6 Series Foreword......Page 8 Preface......Page 12 About the Contributors......Page 24 1 Sex, Lies, and . . . Transformation......Page 28 2 The Sociological Significance of Affairs......Page 42 3 Intimacy, Negotiated Nonmonogamy, and the Limits of the Couple......Page 62 4 Communication and Marital Infidelity......Page 86 5 Renaissance of Romanticism in the Era of Increasing Individualism......Page 106 6 Men, Women, and Infidelity: Sex Differences in Extradyadic Sex and Jealousy......Page 130 7 Being Unfaithful: His and Her Affairs......Page 148 8 "From Here to Epiphany . . .": Power and Identity in the Narrative of an Affair......Page 168 9 A Different Affair? Openness and Nonmonogamy in Same Sex Relationships......Page 194 10 Affairs and Children......Page 214 11 The Role of Female Friends in the Management of Affairs......Page 230 References......Page 250 B......Page 268 E......Page 269 H......Page 270 M......Page 271 R......Page 272 T......Page 273 Z......Page 274 E......Page 276 I......Page 277 N......Page 278 T......Page 279 V......Page 280 Contents 6 Series Foreword 8 Preface 12 About the Contributors 24 1 Sex, Lies, and . . . Transformation 28 2 The Sociological Significance of Affairs 42 3 Intimacy, Negotiated Nonmonogamy, and the Limits of the Couple 62 4 Communication and Marital Infidelity 86 5 Renaissance of Romanticism in the Era of Increasing Individualism 106 6 Men, Women, and Infidelity: Sex Differences in Extradyadic Sex and Jealousy 130 7 Being Unfaithful: His and Her Affairs 148 8 "From Here to Epiphany . . .": Power and Identity in the Narrative of an Affair 168 9 A Different Affair? Openness and Nonmonogamy in Same Sex Relationships 194 10 Affairs and Children 214 11 The Role of Female Friends in the Management of Affairs 230 References 250 Author Index 268 A 268 B 268 C 269 D 269 E 269 F 270 G 270 H 270 I 271 J 271 K 271 L 271 M 271 N 272 0 272 P 272 R 272 S 273 T 273 V 274 W 274 Y 274 Z 274 Subject Index 276 A 276 B 276 C 276 D 276 E 276 F 277 G 277 H 277 I 277 J 278 K 278 L 278 M 278 N 278 0 279 P 279 R 279 S 279 T 279 V 280 Sex, lies, and transformations The sociological significance of affairs Intimacy, negotiated nonmonogamy, and the limits of the couple Communication and marital infidelity Renaissance of romanticism in the era of increasing individualism Men, women, and infidelity : sex differences in extradyadic sex and jealously Being unfaithful : his and her affairs "From here to epiphany" : power and identity in the narrative of an affair A different affair? openness and nonmonogamy in same sex relationships Affairs and children The role of female friends in the management of affairs. The State of Affairs' brings together contributions on the study of sexual affairs in committed personal relationships. Based on a range of survey data, the chapters discuss the impacts of affairs on individuals, partners and other members of the family unit The book explores the paradox of why affairs continue to be condemned as immoral at a time when the incidence of affairs continues to rise, and they have become the basic ingredients of soap operas, novels and the media.