Okay so hear this one out.
This isn’t one of those “Everything Happens for a Reason” motivational posts.
Apparently, according to science, there’s actually a benefit to being cheated on.
Researchers at Binghamton University and the University College London decided to get to the heart of the after effects of breakups and conducted a massive study. The online survey received over 5,705 responses from people in 96 countries and had some interesting results.
For men, being cheated on results in stronger personality traits.
For women, being cheated on results in a higher level of emotional intelligence.
In general, the study found women tend to be most affected by breakups but recover quicker.
According to Eurekalert, women averaged 6.84 in terms of emotional anguish versus 6.58 in men. In terms of physical pain, women averaged 4.21 versus men’s 3.75. While breakups hit women the hardest emotionally and physically, women tend to recover more fully and come out emotionally stronger.
Lead author of the study, Craig Morris, spoke to ATTN: about how the pain of a difficult breakup can become a catalyst for resilience.
He said:
“Most women who have lost a mate to another woman report a ‘silver lining’ of higher mating intelligence. What this means, in their words, is that they are more attuned to cues of infidelity in a future mate, more aware of how other women interact with their mate, [have] more self-confidence and more self-awareness, and independence in general.”
The study also revealed that the “other women” can suffer too, with the relationship usually breaking down.
“Logic and anecdotal evidence suggest that the woman who poached a man from another woman will not have a successful long term relationship in most cases,” said Morris.
Morris claims the study of breakups is important as on average, people will experience 3 before the ages of 30. At least one of these will affect the individuals involved so substantially that it will cause a decrease in quality of life for weeks or months.
“People lose jobs, students withdraw from classes, and individuals can initiate extremely self-destructive behavior patterns following a breakup,” he said. “With a better understanding of this emotional and physical response to a breakup — Post Relationship Grief — we can perhaps develop a way to mitigate its effects in already high-risk individuals.”
