ABSTRACT Though infidelity's causes and consequences are widely discussed, the decision‐making processes, especially among women, has been largely neglected in the academic literature. This study aims to address this gap by examining the infidelity decision‐making process of emerging adult women. Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, we analyzed in‐depth, semi‐structured interviews with 22 women who had engaged in infidelity while in committed heterosexual relationships. In contrast with more linear decision‐making models, the findings reveal that women's infidelity decision‐making is a non‐linear process involving a dynamic interaction of three interconnected factors—unfulfilling relationship, motivation, and rationalizing—which we illustrate as interlocking gears to emphasize their synchronous and interdependent relationship. This grounded theory expands understanding of infidelity decision‐making by moving beyond the constraints of linear models and male‐oriented perspectives. Clinically, the findings highlight the importance of both relational dynamics and individual psychological processes when working with clients on infidelity‐related issues.
Fife et al. (Wed,) studied this question.