Confirmed: Partners who earn the same are less likely to cheat

For both men and women, dependency bred infidelity, Munsch reported today (June 1) in the journal American Sociological Review. For example, the women in the study who brought home no income had about a 5 percent chance of cheating in any given year, whereas women who were breadwinners almost never cheated.

It may be that for women, earning an income also brings a greater desire to keep the relationship healthy. “I think they’re engaging in behaviors designed to keep that relationship intact,” Munsch said.

In earlier studies, female breadwinners report shouldering more chores than their partner at home, compared with women who are dependent or women who are in equal-earner relationships, Munsch said. In the same way, women who hold the breadwinner role may avoid infidelity at all costs.