Can love really trump money? Two separate studies conducted by researchers from Beijing Normal University in China suggests that men who believe they have more money than their peers may feel more entitled to cheat on their partners and even find fault with her appearance.
Researchers recruited male and female undergraduates in serious relationships to take part in two studies.
The first study involved a series of mind games that made participants believe they were either making a lot more or a lot less money than their peers. The participants were then asked to rate how satisfied they were with their partner’s appearance.
Their findings showed that women who were made to believe they were less well off didn’t seem to change their assessment compared to women who were led to believe they made more. On the other hand, men who were convinced that they made more money than their peers were far more likely to express dissatisfaction with their romantic partners’ appearance compared to those who believed they were poorer.
In the second study, the researchers examined a new group of undergraduates, men and women in serious relationships, to determine if feeling wealthy has any effect on a person’s likelihood to approach an attractive member of the opposite sex.
The participants were then subjected to a new series of mind games that made them believe they were either rich or poor. Each participant was shown a photo of an objectively attractive person of the opposite sex. The researchers then told the participants they were going to have the chance to speak with the attractive person in three short minutes.
Afterwards, the participants were brought into an empty room where a coat and a bag were purposely left to make it appear that the attractive person would be coming back in there soon.
The results of the experiment suggests that women were not influenced by their new financial status as female participants consistently choose to sit at a relatively safe distance from the attractive guy. On the other hand, wealthier men were far more likely to choose a seat close to the attractive woman compared to men with less money.
“Money may facilitate cheating — especially since people with higher incomes often travel for work, offering them more opportunities to cheat — but it doesn’t necessarily cause it,” Dr. Kelly Campbell of California State University in San Bernardino said.
Common Signs that a Man is Cheating on His Partner
You don’t need to strap a lie detector or hire a private investigator to know if your man is cheating. Here are some signs that you must watch out, according to relationship experts and psychologists.
- His working days become longer.
- He unusually takes shower upon arrival.
- Even if he’s physically present, he’s not really there with you.
- He’s unusually concerned about his appearance.
- He stops noticing you.
- Warnings and hints from friends, families and colleagues may also indicate they know something you don’t.
- He suddenly becomes overly nice to you.
- He shows a new enthusiasm for a certain person.
- He’s accusing you of being jealous or crazy even if you’re not a habitually jealous person.