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Would you cheat on your partner if...

...you found yourself alone with and hit on by someone you deem incredibly attractive?

I posed a similar question in a prior post, which asked readers whether they think they could remain loyal to their partner if they found themselves stranded on an island with no one but a highly attractive person of the opposite sex.

Most people would probably answer "no," but it's the circumstances in people's relationships -- and more broadly, in their overall lives -- that ultimately dictate whether they'll engage in acts of infidelity.

For example, many people would be much more likely to cheat if their relationship is on the rocks. They could be having marital or relationship problems for a number of reasons, including:

  • Lack of sexual intimacy/fulfillment 
  • Financial problems
  • Tired of feeling tied down
  • Having fallen out of love
  • Not feeling physically attracted enough to the other person
Such conditions certainly make people more vulnerable to cheating. In many ways, sleeping with someone offers an escape -- albeit a temporary one -- from one's problems. What people fail to realize in the heat of the moment is that the mere act will only compound those problems later on. 

Of course, the chances of cheating increase exponentially when you add alcohol into the mix. As many cheaters well know, caution is thrown to the wind and inhibitions are lowered when one is under the influence.

And even if you're dead set on not being unfaithful, attraction wields a powerful influence on human beings. Once clothing starts coming off and you're being touched in some of the most erogenous areas of your body, that can be difficult to walk away from. 

We see such situations play out in movies and TV shows, but we hardly ever wonder what we do -- and if our willpower would be strong enough to fend off the other person's advances.

In my view, the commitment not to cheat is part and parcel of being married or in a relationship -- plain and simple. If you don't feel you can resist the urge to sleep with a hot man or woman who isn't your spouse -- and most of us would acknowledge that we come across many at work and elsewhere -- you should not get serious with anyone. 

Be honest. If you were alone with a sizzling hot man or woman, how likely would you be to cheat on your partner?

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