A batch of psychologists have controversially claimed that a person's partner doesn't actually have to be getting physical with someone else in order for their behaviour to be considered adulterous.
That's because they believe that acts of 'micro-cheating' should be viewed as equally worrisome as their other-half going 'all the way'.
What is micro-cheating?
According to experts at Psychology Today, there are hints that your partner can drop which imply they're not as committed to the relationship as you are.
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Some of these clues are more obvious than others, and certainly not all of them necessarily involve getting down and dirty with someone else behind your back.
These are simply behaviours that result in one member of the relationship questioning the other's motives - otherwise known as acts of 'micro-cheating'.
Examples could include your other half frequently messaging someone you know that they find attractive, or 'liking' the Instagram post of someone they previously had feelings for.
It could also involve your partner joining a dating site, or confiding in someone other than yourself.
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And at the worst end of the spectrum, these naughty behaviours could even result in your partner meeting up with the suspicious person in question - even if nothing untoward actually goes down.
The main issue with this notion is that it's actually a rather grey area, and often sees the alleged 'micro-cheater' arguing that they've not technically done anything wrong.
What are the signs of micro-cheating?
As we say, 'micro-cheating' is a pretty subjective notion, and as such, it can be hard to tell whether you really do have something to worry about when it comes to your partner's potentially wandering eye, or whether you're overthinking.
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According to these psychologists, however, there are a handful of overarching signs you can look out for:
- Your significant other consistently tries to hide interactions with someone else.
- Your significant other repeatedly prioritises someone else over you.
- Your significant other gets overly defensive when you ask anything about a particular person.
- Your significant other has a significant unexplained behaviour change.
How to deal with micro-cheating
It can be very easy for your partner to refute allegations of 'micro-cheating' because - as we say - it doesn't necessarily involve them acting on their feelings for someone else.
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That said, however, no one should have to live with suspicions that their partner is being tempted astray.
According to our on-hand psychologists, it can be best to tackle this risk by communicating your expectations when it comes to trust from the very beginning.
By laying out to one another which types of behaviour you'd consider hurtful, and what is ethically permissible, you're setting the precedent going forward.
This would also give you justification to discuss these concerns going forward in the relationship.
Topics: Sex and Relationships, Dating, Life, Real Life, Mental Health
Rhianna Benson