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Many human societies are based around notionally monogamous relationships However, it is relatively common for both men and women to engage in sexual activity with additional partners
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Infidelity
Prevalence of sexual infidelity difficult to measure for obvious reasons. Some estimates from the US:
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Sexual infidelity occurs in 20-25% of marriages (Wiederman, 1997) 65-75% of university students have had some degree of extradyadic involvement whilst in a serious relationship (Shackelford et al, 2000)
Infidelity
Infidelity also occurs in various animal species, including those that apparently form monogamous pair bonds
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It occurs in both males and females E.G. in some supposedly monogamous bird species 10-40% of chicks were fathered by a male other than the females pair-bonded mate
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Male Infidelity
Possibly explainable in terms of quantity based indiscriminate mating strategy More partners = more offspring
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Men more likely to report having affairs that were just about sex (Glass & Wright, 1985) Male infidelity not necessarily linked to dissatisfaction with current relationship (Hall & Fincham, 2005)
Female Infidelity
Possibly explainable in terms of quality based strategy for optimising survival chances of offspring
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Best physical specimens may not be best resource providers (best of both worlds) Infidelity more strongly linked to dissatisfaction with currently relationship than in male infidelity (Glass & Wright, 1985)
Infidelity
That infidelity serves different purposes in M & F is supported by other evidence e.g.
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M less likely to forgive, more likely to break up with sexually, rather than emotionally unfaithful partner (Shackelford et al, 2002) F seem more sensitive than M to emotional infidelity (Hall & Fincham, 2004)
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It makes poor evolutionary sense to invest in offspring that dont carry your genes Females can be certain that the young are theirs, males less so Mummys babies, daddys maybes
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Anderson (2005) meta-analysis, studies of general population: 3.9% Bellis et al (2005) meta-analysis, studies of general population: 3.7% CSA (2005) cases of disputed paternity only: 16%
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This tendency is multiplied across generations, so mothers mother (guaranteed relationship) invests more than fathers father