The Tendency of Married Men and Women to Extramarital Relationships: A Sociological, Psychological, and Jurisprudential Analysis with Emphasis on Men's Remarriage and Women's Extramarital Affairs

Author: Alireza Ghorbani – Social Researcher
Date: February 17, 2026
Article Type: Scientific-Research

Abstract

Introduction: The family, as the most important social institution, has always been the focus of researchers in social sciences and psychology. In recent years, the phenomenon of extramarital relationships, as one of the hidden harms, has attracted the attention of researchers and policymakers in the field of family. The aim of this study is to analyze the causes of the tendency of married men and women to extramarital relationships, with an emphasis on men's remarriage (both permanent and temporary) and women's extramarital affairs. Method: This research was conducted with a qualitative approach and through documentary content analysis. Findings: The results of previous studies show that the conceptual framework of the causes of tendency toward extramarital relationships consists of 523 basic themes, 70 descriptive themes, 19 interpretive themes, and 3 overarching themes. Sexual dissatisfaction and decreased marital satisfaction are the most important predictors of tendency toward extramarital relationships in both sexes. From a jurisprudential perspective, temporary marriage for men without the wife's permission is permissible, but research indicates that failure to observe the conditions of necessity in using this institution causes serious damage to marital relationships and the mental health of the family. Conclusion: Explaining this phenomenon requires simultaneous attention to individual, interpersonal, and contextual factors, as well as distinguishing between religious justification and realistic analysis of its social consequences.

Keywords: Extramarital Relationships, Temporary Marriage, Sexual Dissatisfaction, Marital Satisfaction, Marital Infidelity, Family

1. Introduction and Problem Statement

The family is the most important social institution and the cornerstone of human society, playing a vital role in social solidarity and the transmission of cultural values. Any transformation in spousal relationships affects this sacred institution. One of the transformations that weakens and destabilizes the family foundation is extramarital relationships between spouses. Extramarital relationships mean non-adherence to the marriage commitment, and considering that they endanger the foundation of the family and consequently the pillars of society, their analysis is of particular importance.

In Iranian society, this phenomenon has taken on complex dimensions. On one hand, married men, citing the religious permissibility of remarriage (both permanent and temporary), sometimes view this institution as a solution to satisfy their needs outside the family while simultaneously preserving the family unit. On the other hand, married women, despite the religious and legal prohibition of relationships with non-mahram men, in some cases tend toward extramarital relationships.

The fundamental question is: What factors cause married men, despite satisfaction with marital life and no desire for family dissolution, to resort to remarriage? And what factors underlie the tendency of married women toward relationships with the opposite sex? This article seeks to answer these questions with a comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach, utilizing the foundations of sociology, psychology, and jurisprudence.

The importance of this research lies in the fact that although various studies have been conducted in different parts of the country, a detailed examination and final synthesis in this area seems necessary. In Imami jurisprudence and Iranian law, marriage is divided into two types: permanent and temporary. The principle of marriage in Islam is permanent marriage, and temporary marriage is placed as a secondary solution in emergency situations; however, the lack of clear laws regarding permission for temporary marriage in Iranian law has caused some men, without considering emergency conditions, to abuse it and cause extensive harm to society and the family.

2. Theoretical Foundations and Conceptual Framework

2-1. Social Exchange Theory

Social Exchange Theory provides an appropriate framework for analyzing extramarital relationships. According to this theory, individuals evaluate rewards and costs in their relationships, and when the rewards of the current relationship are less than its costs, they pay attention to alternative options. Marital dissatisfaction leads the individual to compare the current situation with alternative options, and this comparison can lead to a tendency toward extramarital relationships.

2-2. Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love

Sternberg's Triangular Theory of Love considers three components of intimacy, passion (including sexual needs), and commitment as the pillars of love. Research shows that dissatisfaction with the passion component, especially in marital relationships, plays an important role in the tendency toward extramarital relationships.

2-3. Combined Approach in Analyzing the Causes of Extramarital Relationships

Recent studies have classified the causes of tendency toward extramarital relationships into five general categories:

1. Sexual Satisfaction: Seeking sexual variety or sexual incompatibility with spouse
2. Emotional Satisfaction: Need for emotional connection in a new relationship
3. Social Contexts: Opportunity, physical or psychological proximity, separation from spouse
4. Attitudes and Norms: More liberal attitudes toward sexual matters
5. Revenge and Hostility: Reaction to spouse's infidelity or betrayal

2-4. Conceptual Framework of Causes of Tendency toward Extramarital Relationships

Domestic studies show that multiple factors play a significant role in couples' attitudes toward extramarital relationships:

• Social Factors: Opportunities for infidelity, friendship groups, and environmental conditions
• Psychological Factors: Personality type, attachment styles, and type of love schema
• Cultural Factors: Changes in values and beliefs, type of religious upbringing
• Familial Factors: Unsuitable marriage, family disputes, and type of family background
• Individual Factors: Sexual dissatisfaction and emotional dissatisfaction
• Economic Factors: Individual's economic status, financial problems
• Media Factors: Weakening of Iranian values, creation of new needs by media

3. Research Method

The present study is qualitative and was conducted using the documentary content analysis method. The collected materials are derived from reputable Persian and Latin research databases such as SID, Science Direct, Scopus, Magiran, Ensani.ir, Google Scholar, as well as university theses. The keywords for this search included: extramarital relationships, marital infidelity, temporary marriage, sexual dissatisfaction, marital satisfaction. To extract jurisprudential rulings, the information databases of the offices of religious authorities (Marja') were consulted.

4. Research Findings

4-1. Prevalence and Dimensions of the Issue in Iranian Societies

The family plays an important role in social solidarity, and any transformation in spousal relationships affects it. One of the transformations that weakens and destabilizes the family foundation is extramarital relationships between spouses. Research shows that extramarital relationships, as a hidden social harm, have infiltrated among married women and men, and its prevalence in Iranian societies is increasing.

4-2. Causes of Married Men's Tendency toward Extramarital Relationships

A study in Shiraz involving 543 married men selected through stratified quota sampling showed:

The results indicate a significant negative relationship between the level of religiosity and sexual satisfaction with married men's association with the opposite sex. In other words, the higher the level of religiosity and sexual satisfaction, the lower the tendency toward extramarital relationships.

Furthermore, a significant positive relationship exists between the following variables and men's tendency toward extramarital relationships:

• Emotional deprivation from the spouse
• Marital conflicts
• Desire to experience relationships with multiple individuals
• Viewing arousing images
• Watching pornographic films
• Sexual novelty-seeking
• Education level
• Use of the internet and satellite TV

4-3. Causes of Married Women's Tendency toward Extramarital Relationships

A qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with 34 married women in Tehran who had experienced extramarital relationships showed that the conceptual framework of the causes of tendency toward extramarital relationships consists of 523 basic themes, 70 descriptive themes, 19 interpretive themes, and 3 overarching themes. These findings indicate the complexity and multi-dimensionality of this phenomenon and its infiltration as a hidden social harm among married women.

Content analysis of the data obtained from the interviews revealed three main themes:

a) Individual Factors: Personality traits, psychological disorders, dysfunctional attitudes

b) Interpersonal Factors: Deficit in love and sense of belonging to spouse, lack of alignment and mutual support, low quality of sexual relationship, and dysfunctional interactions

c) Social Factors: Macro-level changes such as individualism, value changes and promotion of alternative values, absence of pure relationships, facilitation by technology and virtual media, change in women's perception of womanhood and its responsibilities, fading of religious principles

4-4. The Role of Sexual Dissatisfaction in Tendency toward Extramarital Relationships

Infidelity or extramarital relationships, as a new attitude in the realm of emotional and sexual relations, pose a serious challenge to society, carrying various individual and social consequences and inherently causing harm. Proper satisfaction of the sexual instinct of both parties is an important and complex issue that should never be overlooked, as it plays a significant role in the stability or instability of the family.

Inability to disclose sexual dissatisfaction in couples leads to sulking, prolonged silences, or showing a polite and calm exterior while harboring inner tension. Sexual dissatisfaction is generally correlated with problems such as dominance (power struggle), jealousy, punishment, fear of infidelity and betrayal, and constant conflicts in other areas of life. Underlying reasons for couples seeking divorce often include infidelity or sexual dissatisfaction between spouses.

4-5. Factors Influencing Women's Extramarital Relationships

Another study, using a qualitative approach and involving 17 women referred to healthcare centers in Mashhad selected through purposive sampling, showed:

After extracting concepts from the interviews, the obtained content was organized into four categories: individual, familial, social, and religious factors. Each of these categories served as an influencing factor on the participants' extramarital relationships. The results indicated that factors related to these four categories are explicable.

5. Men's Remarriage: From Religious Justification to Social Reality

5-1. Jurisprudential Foundations of Temporary Marriage

In Imami jurisprudence, marriage is divided into two types: permanent and temporary (Mut'ah). According to the fatwa of Ayatollah al-Uzma Sistani, temporary marriage for men without the permission of the permanent wife is permissible. However, regarding marriage with a Muslim woman while having a permanent or temporary Muslim wife, one cannot contract a temporary marriage with a Jewish or Christian woman without the wife's permission; even if she permits, based on obligatory precaution, it is not permissible.

Regarding the jurisprudential rulings of temporary marriage, the following points are important:

• The temporary wife (Mut'ah) is not entitled to maintenance (nafaqah), even if she becomes pregnant.
• The temporary wife does not inherit from her husband.
• The temporary wife can leave the house without her husband's permission, unless this departure violates the husband's rights.
• The temporary wife has no right to demand maintenance or the right to division of nights (qasam/cohabitation).

5-2. Jurisprudential View on the Application of Temporary Marriage

According to the opinion of jurists, temporary marriage is not considered suitable for a virgin girl because it is usually not free from unintended and unpredictable consequences. Furthermore, if a virgin girl is mature (i.e., discerns her own best interest) and independent (i.e., independent in important life decisions concerning herself, like employment, and her property, like buying, selling, and donating, from parental supervision), based on obligatory precaution, contracting a marriage without the permission of her guardian (father or paternal grandfather) is not permissible.

5-3. Pathology of Temporary Marriage for Married Men

A qualitative study using phenomenology and involving 12 married women residing in Tehran whose husbands had engaged in temporary marriage shows:

The effects of temporary marriage on marital relationships include:

• Damage to emotional relationships
• Disruption of trust between couples
• Disruption of family security
• Damage to physical relationships
• Disruption in family management

In family relationships, this phenomenon has negative effects on relationships between family members, communication with acquaintances, and the view of others towards the family.

The harms inflicted on the wives of such men can be divided into four categories:

• Psychological harms
• Physical harms
• Economic harms
• Social harms

5-4. Sociological Analysis of Men's Remarriage

A qualitative study using grounded theory and involving 15 men residing in Isfahan who had experienced divorce and subsequently remarried showed:

The core category is "individual and social identity crisis," derived from the combination of 19 main categories. In other words, men after divorce face identity challenges in individual and social dimensions, which creates the conditions and contexts for their remarriage.

Findings showed that after divorce, due to existing normative-value expectations and gender structures in society, men saw themselves as deviating from the normal state. Following this event and the challenges created in the individual and collective dimensions of identity, remarriage was adopted as an effective solution to recreate masculine identity and regain social acceptance.

6. Sociological Analysis of Women's Extramarital Relationships

6-1. Social and Cultural Contexts

A study with a sociological approach shows that the globalization of culture causes fundamental changes in the cultural system and social relations. The family, as a social construct with non-neutral, evolving, and fluid characteristics, is exposed to these fundamental changes.

What has turned boy-girl friendships into a social issue in Iranian society today is the conflict between religious and traditional attitudes on one hand and new attitudes on the other. The first attitude demands gender boundaries and adherence to rules and regulations related to sexual interactions, seeking to limit cross-gender relationships to the pre-marital period; but the second attitude, resulting from interaction with other cultures, especially Western and secular cultures, does not show this sensitivity.

6-2. Effective Structural Factors

According to sociological analyses, factors that possibly contribute to the increasing rate of extramarital relationships among married women include:

1. The increasing equality of male and female roles in social and economic life
2. Women's employment outside the home, which provides them with this opportunity
3. Movement towards a single standard for sexual behavior, made possible by many factors, one of which is newer contraceptive methods

6-3. Gender Comparison in the Type of Extramarital Relationships

A review of the research literature shows that men are more involved in sexually oriented extramarital relationships, while women are more inclined towards emotionally oriented extramarital relationships. This gender difference stems from biological differences and different gender socialization.

Clements and Swensen (2000) believe that fidelity and commitment are important elements in marital stability. In marital life, hope creates a sense of belonging, and the resulting commitment and fidelity bring a sense of security and stability.

7. Discussion and Analysis

7-1. The Duality of Religious Justification and Social Reality

One of the important points in analyzing the phenomenon of men's remarriage is the duality between religious justification and social reality. Although from a jurisprudential perspective, temporary marriage for men without the wife's permission is permissible, from a sociological and psychological perspective, its consequences on the family and the mental health of its members cannot be ignored. Research shows that public opinion in society does not accept temporary marriage by married men and sometimes views them as lustful individuals.

7-2. The Paradox of "Preserving the Family through Extramarital Relationships"

Some men argue that by remarrying, they both satisfy their needs and preserve the original family. This argument contradicts research findings. Research shows that temporary marriage of married men leads to psychological and emotional tensions among family members and disrupts trust between spouses. In other words, "preserving the family" through this method is nothing but an illusion, and in practice, it leads to the weakening and collapse of the family.

7-3. Gender Inequality in Access to Needs Outside the Family

Another noteworthy point is the gender inequality in the possibility of meeting needs outside the family. Men, using the religious institution of temporary marriage, have a legal possibility to meet their needs outside the family, while women, due to religious prohibition, do not have such a possibility and face much stronger social stigma if they engage in such actions.

7-4. The Role of Structural and Cultural Factors

Structural factors also play a role in this phenomenon. Economic hardships, pressures of urban life, weakness in couples' communication skills, and lack of adequate pre-marital education all contribute to marital dissatisfaction and consequently the tendency toward extramarital relationships.

Value changes at the macro level, including individualism, changing attitudes towards sexual relations, and the influence of virtual media, are among the important factors mentioned in domestic research.

8. Conclusion and Recommendations

The phenomenon of the tendency of married men and women toward extramarital relationships is a complex and multi-dimensional issue that cannot be explained solely by reference to religious rulings or reduced merely to psychological factors. Research findings indicate:

1. The framework of causes for the tendency toward extramarital relationships is very broad and multi-level, including individual, interpersonal, social, cultural, economic, and media factors.
2. Sexual dissatisfaction and decreased marital satisfaction are the most important predictors of the tendency toward extramarital relationships in both sexes.
3. Although from a jurisprudential perspective, temporary marriage for men without the wife's permission is permissible, its consequences on marital relationships and the mental health of the family are very serious and damaging.
4. Using the institution of temporary marriage without a framework and without considering emergency conditions can become a factor threatening and causing the collapse of the family.
5. Explaining this phenomenon requires simultaneous attention to individual factors (personality, needs), interpersonal factors (quality of marital relationship), and contextual factors (culture, economy, social opportunities, media).
6. Individual and social identity crisis in men after divorce underlies their tendency toward remarriage as a solution to recreate masculine identity and gain social acceptance.
7. Macro-level social changes such as individualism, value changes, facilitation by technology and virtual media, are important factors influencing women's tendency toward extramarital relationships.

Recommendations

1. Pre-Marital Education: Providing necessary training in communication skills, sexual and emotional expectations, and familiarization with the challenges of married life before marriage.
2. Strengthening Couples' Communication Skills: Holding educational workshops for couples on effective dialogue, conflict resolution, and expressing emotional and sexual needs.
3. Specialized Counseling: Establishing specialized counseling centers for couples with problems and providing psychological services.
4. Legal Revision: Clarifying the conditions for permitting temporary marriage in Iranian laws and devising solutions to reduce the harms caused by the abuse of this institution.
5. Attention to Structural Factors: Reducing economic pressures, improving employment and housing conditions, and strengthening social support networks.
6. Further Research: Conducting more extensive qualitative and quantitative research to accurately understand the dimensions of this phenomenon and provide effective solutions.
7. Strengthening Religious Beliefs: Paying attention to the role of religious beliefs in reducing the tendency toward extramarital relationships and strengthening them through education and cultural development.
8. Managing Media Use: Increasing media literacy in society to counteract the negative effects of social networks and satellite TV.

References

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