close
close

Do you love the fictional billionaire hero? Strong people aren’t great lovers, they’re more likely to cheat: Study

Do you love the fictional billionaire hero? Strong people aren’t great lovers, they’re more likely to cheat: Study

With great power comes great responsibility… Or are there more changing relationship dynamics? It’s not uncommon to see powerful people romanticized in literature and movies, depicting them with violent passion. Whether it’s the brooding billionaire CEO from your favorite K-drama or the cocky captain of the football team in a romantic comedy book, these fictional characters easily amass a huge fan base.

In movies and books, there is an attraction to heroes who are strong. (Netflix/@job offer)
In movies and books, there is an attraction to heroes who are strong. (Netflix/@job offer)

But power is actually much darker and not so rosy and romantic. Power transforms a person, increasing confidence and authority. This makes powerful people more likely to cheat. A. to work An article published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior detailed how powerful people can deviate from their own lives. relationships and cheating. Fidelity to a partner is linked to the sense of self. And power outweighs everything else in their self-perception, even love and respect.

ALSO READ: Why you shouldn’t date an Alpha man? Study shows manipulation dominates relationship

The connection between power and loyalty

The other partner in the relationship is made to feel 'less than' and inadequate. (Pexels)
The other partner in the relationship is made to feel ‘less than’ and inadequate. (Pexels)

Psychologists from Reichman University in Herzliya, Israel, and the US-based University of Rochester sought to uncover how power changes the game in relationship dynamics and fidelity. Power not only makes a person self-confident, but also more impulsive with a superiority complex, acting on his whims to get himself ahead. And thanks to the resources they have, they can easily mitigate possible consequences.

This is especially made worse in a relationship, as this exaggerated, entitled perception of power fosters a dynamic in which the powerful partner may feel like they bring more value and content to the table and feel like they can do better.

Lead author Gurit Birnbaum, a professor of psychology at Reichman University, said: “In a romantic relationship, these power dynamics can lead the more powerful partner to feel like they bring more to the table than the less powerful partner. The more powerful do this more outside the relationship.” may see it as a sign that they have more options and are more desirable partners overall.

ALSO READ: Future-proofing micromance: 2025 dating trends for teens and millennials

The dark side of power in a relationship

Researchers conducted a series of tests to understand how power can create turmoil in a relationship. Across all four tests, they were able to detect a clear pattern showing that power changed the way they perceived other potential partners, including sexual fantasies, desires, and real-life interactions. People who considered themselves stronger were curious about possible matches outside their relationships.

Co-author Harry Reis, a professor in Rochester’s Department of Psychology and University Dean’s professor, elaborated: “Those with a higher sense of power may feel motivated to disregard their commitment to the relationship and act on short-term flings or potentially desires.” .other, newer partners if the opportunity arises.

The most destructive thing is that the person who thinks he is strong thinks that he is more valuable and better than his partner. This belief weakens commitment. It also goes beyond the boundaries of loyalty and turns bitter with outright disrespect depending on who has more access to resources.

ALSO READ: Cuffing season: Winter hookup trend couples try to find warmth in cold months