Research Finds Republican Husbands More Faithful; Religious Even More

Spousal fidelity is a very important personal and cultural value. In communities where husbands are more faithful to their wives, children and marriage vows, you also will find a host of other positively consequential values.

As Professor Brad Wilcox explains in his latest book, Get Married, infidelity “exacts a serious toll on marital quality,” adding it is “because, regardless of the state of the marriage prior to the adultery, breaking the fidelity norm ushers in thoughts and feelings of betrayal, distrust and anger—not to mention worries about abandonment.”

Infidelity is one of the top predictors of divorce, a devastating destroyer of families.

It is well-documented that men are more likely to stray from their marriages than women. But are some men less likely to stray than others?

Indeed. The Institute for Family Studies (IFS) examined the marital fidelity of men by political party allegiance. Their research, here and here, shows that Republican men are markedly less likely to stray from marital fidelity than Democrat men.

First, let us look at attitudes and belief.

For the most part, Republicans and Democrats have been similar in how they answer the question: “Is having an extramarital affair always wrong?” Dems have been slightly more likely to disagree with this statement, but not dramatically less than Republicans. But that changed around the time Donald Trump won the White House. It was then that the percentage of Democrats agreeing with this important value took a notable dip.

Another research-based graph demonstrates it this way.

The Institute for Family Studies explains,

While more than 80% of prime-aged Republicans still maintain the classic view that having sex with someone besides your spouse is “always wrong,” surprisingly only 52% of Democrats took this position in 2022. The shift was especially pronounced among college-educated Democrats, with only 46% embracing the classic fidelity norm by 2022.

The Pew Research Center has data showing a more dramatic divide between the two groups,

A majority of Republicans (64%) say open marriages are unacceptable, while 20% say they are acceptable. Views among Democrats are more mixed: 47% say these kinds of marriages are acceptable and 36% say they are unacceptable.

Pew adds. “As may be expected, conservative Republicans are the most likely to say these [open] marriages are unacceptable (74%), while liberal Democrats are the most likely to say they are acceptable (63%).”

This belief has likely fueled the growing popularity of polyamory among progressives.

Belief Drives Behavior

It explains why Democrats are different in actual behavior regarding faithfulness in marriage.

IFS explains similar findings, but with a wider divide. Of ever-married men, ages 18-55, 18% of Democrat men reported straying outside their marriage, while 13% of Republican men report cheating.

Not surprisingly, Republicans report being notably happier in their marriages.

Barstool Conservatives versus “Religious Wife Guy” Conservatives

IFS makes an interesting distinction for men on the Republican/Conservative side of the aisle, contrasting “Barstool conservatives” – guys who are fiscally conservative but more socially liberal on issues like abortion and marriage – and “religious wife guy” conservatives. These are conservative men who are both fiscal and social conservatives and hold to a moderate faith in their family and public life.

The “religious wife guys” are markedly more likely to honor their marital vows than other conservative men. IFS explains,

Specifically, 90% of Republican ever-married men (18-55) who attend religious services once a month or more say extramarital affairs are always wrong, whereas only 74% of non-religious ever-married Republicans endorse the classic fidelity norm, according to the [General Social Survey] (2010-2022).

It is not only belief that makes a difference here. Faith-based conservatives are more likely to practice what they believe regarding marital fidelity. The differential looks like this:

IFS boldly asserts,

The story here is straightforward: men who endorse extramarital sex, or simply don’t oppose it, are more likely to cheat on their spouse. It’s no wonder that secular Republicans have similar infidelity rates as their Democratic peers [religious or not]. They share the same attitudes. By contrast, religious Republicans are markedly more likely to embrace the classic fidelity norm and, consequently, are the least likely to cheat on their wives.

The take-away here is that ideas have big consequences, as Richard Weaver famously put it. What we believe translates into what we do.

Firmly held beliefs change society and the family. And among religiously based conservative men, these beliefs strengthen marriages and family. And by strengthening marriages and families, they improve individual lives and communities has a whole.

Men, make sure you have right beliefs about what makes life better and more meaningful. Doing so is good for everyone.

Related articles and resources:

MythBuster: No, the Divorce Rate is Not as High in the Church as the World

Mapping Declining US Marriage Rates

Mapping US Fertility and Married Parenting Rates

Mapping US Divorce Rates

Mapping US Unmarried Cohabitation Rates

Does Premarital Sex Increase Risk of Divorce?

Why Marriage Matters for Adults

What is Happening with Marriage Today? Some Good News, But Mostly Bad

Focus on the Family: Marriage

Focus on the Family: Marriage Assessment