Sexual Fidelity

• Introduction
• Patterns
• Over Time

Sexual Fidelity (Demographic Patterns)

Have you ever had sex with someone other than your husband or wife while you were married?

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Sexual Fidelity by Age (General Social Survey, 2006)

	18-30	31-44	45-64	65+	Missing	TOTAL
YES	4.1% 21	13.9% 90	19.8% 169	17.0% 68	2	14.4% 348
NO	27.2% 138	63.8% 413	66.0% 564	74.7% 298	1	58.7% 1413
NEVER WED	68.7% 349	20.7% 134	13.1% 112	6.8% 27	1	25.8% 622
DON'T KNOW	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.1% 1	0.0% 0	0	0.0% 1
NO ANSWER	0.0% 0	1.5% 10	1.1% 9	1.5% 6	1	1.0% 25
Missing	342	642	741	358	13	2096
TOTAL	100% 508	100% 647	100% 855	100% 399	18	2409

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Sexual Fidelity by Race (General Social Survey, 2006)

	White	Black	Other	TOTAL
YES	14.4% 268	16.3% 54	12.7% 28	14.5% 350
NO	62.3% 1161	41.1% 136	53.2% 117	58.6% 1414
NEVER WED	22.2% 413	41.4% 137	33.2% 73	25.8% 623
DON'T KNOW	0.1% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 1
NO ANSWER	1.1% 20	1.2% 4	0.9% 2	1.1% 26
Missing	1421	303	372	2096
TOTAL	100% 1863	100% 331	100% 220	2414

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Sexual Fidelity by Religion (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Protestant	Catholic	Jewish	None	Other	Missing	TOTAL
YES	14.8% 192	12.6% 65	9.3% 4	16.3% 68	16.0% 21	0	14.5% 350
NO	63.8% 829	60.9% 313	60.5% 26	43.3% 181	45.8% 60	5	58.6% 1409
NEVER WED	20.2% 262	25.3% 130	27.9% 12	40.0% 167	38.2% 50	2	25.8% 621
DON'T KNOW	0.1% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0	0.0% 1
NO ANSWER	1.2% 16	1.2% 6	2.3% 1	0.5% 2	0.0% 0	1	1.0% 25
Missing	1028	600	35	321	94	18	2096
TOTAL	100% 1300	100% 514	100% 43	100% 418	100% 131	26	2406

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Sexual Fidelity by Gender (General Social Survey, 2006)

	MALE	FEMALE	TOTAL
YES	16.2% 168	13.2% 182	14.5% 350
NO	53.8% 558	62.2% 856	58.6% 1414
NEVER WED	29.1% 302	23.3% 321	25.8% 623
DON'T KNOW	0.0% 0	0.1% 1	0.0% 1
NO ANSWER	0.9% 9	1.2% 17	1.1% 26
Missing	966	1130	2096
TOTAL	100% 1037	100% 1377	2414

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Sexual Fidelity by Church attendance (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Never	Yearly	Monthly	Weekly	Missing	TOTAL
YES	17.6% 102	14.3% 104	13.0% 46	13.2% 98	0	14.5% 350
NO	49.7% 288	57.1% 416	58.9% 209	67.0% 497	4	58.6% 1410
NEVER WED	32.4% 188	27.3% 199	27.9% 99	18.1% 134	3	25.8% 620
DON'T KNOW	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.1% 1	0	0.0% 1
NO ANSWER	0.3% 2	1.4% 10	0.3% 1	1.6% 12	1	1.0% 25
Missing	440	646	333	666	11	2096
TOTAL	100% 580	100% 729	100% 355	100% 742	19	2406

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Sexual Fidelity by Political ideology (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Liberal	Moderate	Conservative	Missing	TOTAL
YES	15.9% 106	14.7% 128	13.2% 108	8	14.5% 342
NO	50.0% 334	59.2% 517	65.5% 535	28	58.8% 1386
NEVER WED	33.8% 226	24.9% 217	19.6% 160	20	25.6% 603
DON'T KNOW	0.0% 0	0.1% 1	0.0% 0	0	0.0% 1
NO ANSWER	0.3% 2	1.1% 10	1.7% 14	0	1.1% 26
Missing	512	810	653	121	2096
TOTAL	100% 668	100% 873	100% 817	177	2358

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Sexual Fidelity by Education (General Social Survey, 2006)

	Not High School	High School	Jr. College	B.A.	Grad Degree	Missing	TOTAL
YES	12.6% 32	15.4% 191	14.8% 34	11.6% 53	16.9% 40	0	14.5% 350
NO	57.1% 145	57.4% 711	58.3% 134	61.5% 280	60.8% 144	0	58.6% 1414
NEVER WED	29.1% 74	26.1% 323	26.5% 61	25.1% 114	21.5% 51	0	25.8% 623
DON'T KNOW	0.0% 0	0.1% 1	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0.0% 0	0	0.0% 1
NO ANSWER	1.2% 3	1.0% 12	0.4% 1	1.8% 8	0.8% 2	0	1.1% 26
Missing	437	1035	147	308	166	3	2096
TOTAL	100% 254	100% 1238	100% 230	100% 455	100% 237	3	2414

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Notes

General Social Survey, 2006: The General Social Surveys (GSS) have been conducted by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) annually since 1972 except for the years 1979, 1981, and 1992 (a supplement was added in 1992), and biennially beginning in 1994. The GSS are designed as part of a program of social indicator research, replicating questionnaire items and wording in order to facilitate time-trend studies. The 2006 GSS includes a topical module for mental health. Items in the 2006 GSS include questions on religious self-identification, denominational affiliation, personal beliefs, and religious upbringing.