CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Marital infidelity is of great concern today in our society because it has become so

common and many couples have been so careless about their marital vows (Abbasi,

Tabatabei, Sharbaf, & Karshki, 2016). Many married couples are living together but in

distrust. While so many have divorced because of infidelity. Others desire to enter marital

unions but are afraid of what may come up (Scheeren, & Wagner, 2018).

Infidelity can mean cheating, straying, adultery, being unfaithful, two-timing, or having an

affair. It is a violation of a couple's emotionaland/or sexual exclusivity that commonly

results in feelings of anger, sexual jealousy, and rivalry. Philip (2020), sees infidelity as a

“breach of contractof exclusivity that one has with his/her partner(s) and it’s outsourcing

those needs to others outside the relationship without the consent of the partner(s).”

Infidelity can cause problems in any relationship once it is detected no matter how long the

relationship has lasted. It is seen as a betrayal of trust. It is seen as having a long-term

effects on quality relationships. Infidelity can involve sexual or emotional affairs with

someone outside the relationship one has with his/her partner (Moore, 2021). Weigel &

Shrout (2019), accent that “infidelity is one of the most damaging events individuals face in

relationships”. While Beltrán-Morillas, Valor-Segura, & Expósito (2019), state that

infidelity is considered an unforgivable betrayal. They say this because they see infidelity as

posing serious threats to the emotional and mental health of the couples affected by it.

Beltrán-Morillas, Valor-Segura& Expósito(2019) state that of the many betrayals

that can occur within the context of romantic relationships, infidelity is considered the most

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severe and threatening to the stability of the relationship. According to Fincham & May

(2017), this is typically considered an act of unforgivable betrayal, given the high

expectations of loyalty and commitment that people hold for their partners and the time and

effort invested in preserving their relationships. Watkins & Boon (2016) added that, people

usually acquire a relational commitment with their partners (i.e., they share property,

experiences, time, children, among others), so they do not expect their partners to engage in

acts of intolerable betrayal, such as infidelity.

Ikwuegbu (2022) sees infidelity in marriage to have broken many homes and

contributed largely to the increasing number of ill-bred children. According to her, the word

infidelity refers to the act of having a romantic or sexual relationship with someone other

than one’s marital spouse or partner. It hinders the respect of the contract established in

marriage between a man and a woman. Some couples violate the sacredness of a marriage

contract through extra-marital affairs (Ikwuegbu, 2022).

Tristan (2022) sees infidelity as a violation of a prior agreement made between

partners regarding their sexual and/or emotional exclusivity. What each person considers

infidelity may differ (e.g., one partner may consider watching pornography or viewing other

erotic stimuli as cheating while the other does not, or one partner may perceive infidelity to

be only sexual while another believes an emotional affair is as much of a violation). He

identified about seven types of infidelity. Physical infidelity: Here one partner is giving time

or more time to someone else outside of his/her partner. The time that the couple have to

spend together is shared with someone else. Physical or sexual connection outside of the

relationship.There may or may not be an emotional component between partners, but every

time he/she is seen with that particular person.Emotional infidelity: Emotional attachment or

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intimacy with another person. Emotional affairs can do as much damage, if not more, to a

relationship as a physical affair. When a partner shows more concern or more emotionally

attached to someone else other than his/her partner. Cyber infidelity: Social media has made

it easier for people to engage in online messages, chats, forums, or groups with sexual

content. Cyber infidelity also includes viewing erotic stimuli, such as cheating via

pornography.

Object infidelity: An obsession or interest outside of the relationship can result in what is

known as an object affair. This is a situation where one partner is more focused on

something such as work or their phone, which causes a distraction from the

relationship.Financial infidelity: Money can become a point of contention for many

relationships. If it progresses to the point of financial infidelity, one partner may be deceitful

about how much money they earn, how they earn money, how much debt they owe, and how

they spend or loan out money. They may even have money hidden away in cash or other

bank accounts that their partner doesn’t know about.Micro cheating: A term for actions that

bothers on a partner, such as flirting that crosses a line, but there is no intention of straying

outside of the relationship. One partner cheating yet still shows much love for his/her family

and or partner.

Combined infidelity: When the infidelity includes more than one type. Many infidelities

include elements of both sexual and emotional intimacies. A cyber affair may also be

considered a form of emotional infidelity (Tristan, 2022).

In marriage or even before the marriage is consummated, most people expect themselves

and their spouse to remain sexually and emotionally faithful all through their marriage

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(Soltanzadeh, 2021). In addition, most people condemn extramarital sex as a misconduct and

consider marital fidelity as an important issue of a marital union.

Based on this observation therefore, it will one can say that infidelity is not just when

ones partner has sexual affairs with another person other than his/her partner. Infidelity

begins when the interest or attention or a partner shifts from his/her partner to something

else or someone else.

Knopp, Scott, Ritchie, Rhoades, Markman, & Stanley (2017), stated that infidelity

can be found in just one partner but it affects the two partners. But its effects will be on the

two partners. Sometimes the other partner may want to revenge because of anger just to see

a way of relieving himself or herself of the pain and anger (Fye, 2018). While in some other

cases one partner may have been nursing the idea of cheating and once he or she gets a hint

of what the other partner did or is doing, it becomes an opportunity to kick off her or her

well planned deal (Sheri, 2022).

Attachment insecurity has been observed as one of the possible causes of infidelity or

cheating in marriages.Sheri (2022) noted thatsome attachment styles, such as attachment

avoidance or attachment insecurity, as well as intimacy disorders have also been looked at in

relationship to a propensity to cheat. Poor self-esteem and insecurity can also raise the risk

of an affair as a way to prove worthiness.Unlike child-parent relationships, attachment is

usually

reciprocal in adult relationships, (i.e. peers play the role of an attachment image to each

other, and their sexual or emotional relationships usually act as an initial attachment image)

(Parker, & Campbell, 2017). As opined by Soltanzadeh, (2021), generally, attachment styles

have a significant effect on couples' attitudes toward marital infidelity. The early

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relationships between infant and care takers are significant and the emotional interactions of

these relationships play an important role in forming personality and adulthood

relationships.

Researchers also agree that one of the biggest reasons people cheat is their inability to

manage their emotions and make the appropriate adjustment to their love life(Pan, 2020).

When one is not emotional intelligent, managing his or her emotions becomes impossible.

Emotionally intelligent people are in tune with how they feel, they are able to reason with

other people, but they do not let their emotions rule their lives. They are able to reason with

others and understand the point others are trying to raise.Emotionally unintelligent people,

on the other hand, are characterized by an inability to reason with their emotions. Therefore,

they make irrational decisions, such as cheating on their partner (Pan, 2020). Craig, H.

(2019) opines that Emotional Intelligence, or, what is commonly referred to as EQ has been

claimed to be the key to success in life. He also added that Emotional Intelligence is

everywhere we look, and without it, we would be devoid of a key part of the human

experience.

What differentiates EI from the ‘personal’ intelligences is that EI does not focus on a

general sense of self and the appraisal of others – rather, it is focused on recognizing and

using the emotional states of the self and others in order to solve problems and regulate

behavior (Salovey & Mayer, 1990).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The marriage contract is a special human issue, and since the existing human being is

not fixed, human categories do not fit into a fixed definition. After the first marriage, most

people expect themselves and their spouse to remain sexually and emotionally faithful

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during their marriage. In addition, most people condemn extramarital sex as a misconduct

and consider marital fidelity as an important issue. Marital faithfulness is what almost all

married couples desire. No couple wants his/her spouse to be involved in any form of

infidelity. Marital infidelity on the other hand has become so rampant and some of the

victims of infidelity seem to be hard hearted, they have no remorse, yet no one would want

his/her child to be involved in marital infidelity especially the spouse of their child to be

found guilty of it.

Researchers have discovered that upward of 40 of married couples are affected by

infidelity. Such a number shows the rate at which marriage vows have been defied. Men and

women engage in infidelity though men seem to be engaging more in infidelity because men

express their love in a more physical way – they do not have the perfect “feeling words” for

their wives. So sex becomes an important path to connection and intimacy.

In some families, an affair is a cry for help, a way to force the couple to finally face

the problem that both parties are aware of but are not addressing. In this case, the partner

often actually tries to get caught as a way of bringing the issue to the fore.

Marital infidelity has negative effects on couples’ and parents relationships and may

be the most feared and destroying experience of a couple relationship, which may cause

divorce which affects the couple, parents and children. Further, the victims and doers of

marital infidelity also frequently experience negative outcomes, for example decreased self-

esteem, increased risk of mental health issues, shame and guilt feelings. Marital infidelity

makes distress in partner intimacy and reduces relationship satisfaction in both spouses.

Many marital partners are in pain. So many divorce here and there. Marital infidelity is

tearing marital partners apart. Trust is lost even when they are together. The togetherness

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maybe just because what the society may say or just to see how they can raise their children

knowing the psychological problems it may cause the children if separated. Some pretend to

be staying together as a couple but their minds are completely divided and separated

Emotional intelligence and proper attachment (secure attachment) have provided lens for

illuminating what makes couple(s) involve in marital infidelity. Emotional intelligence helps

people to live together harmoniously while emotionally unintelligent people misunderstand

people easily.Attachment is a special emotional relationship that involves an exchange of

comfort, care, and pleasure. And when the attachment is not properly fixed at early stage of

life, it results to attachment insecurity. Attachment insecurity makes a couple to have more

extramarital relationships, they (people with insecure attachment) can have sex without love

and affection for the other person and suddenly have a relationship with people outside the

marital relationship.Securely attached adults tend to believe that romantic love is enduring.

Ambivalently attached adults report falling in love often, while those with avoidant

attachment styles describe love as rare and temporary.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

i. To ascertain attachment insecurity as correlate of marital infidelity in Makurdi

metropolis.

ii. To ascertain emotional intelligence as correlates of marital infidelityin Makurdi

metropolis.

iii. To ascertain attachment insecurity and emotional intelligence as correlates of

marital infidelity in Makurdi metropolis.

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1.4 Research Questions

To research properly on this very topic, we formulate the following questions;

i. To what extent will attachment insecurity predict marital infidelityin Makurdi

metropolis?

ii. To what extent will emotional intelligence predict infidelity in Makurdi

metropolis?

iii. To what extent will attachment insecurity and emotional intelligence predict

marital infidelity in Makurdi metropolis?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study will be important to so many persons in our world today. Married couples

will find it useful in order to grow in knowledge of how to live and remain happily married.

This studywill be of immense help to so many persons. Those who want to marry but

are afraid of entering will find it useful in order to know what they should know and avoid

what they should avoid so as to enjoy their marriages.It will help to reduce high risk

marriages and prevent insecure individuals’marriage; insecure individuals will see the need

to be identified and treated by psychologists to have happier relationship in their marriages

particularly.

Those who are battling with some marital challenges that may be seemingly leading

to break up, especially those caused by marital infidelity of any sort or type may also find

the work resourceful because knowledge is said to be power.

This study will help to direct parents on seeking psychological advice during their

children’s development to become more aware of their children’s behavior. Haven received

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such advice, and haven known that attachment styles are formed in childhood, parent-child

communications will therefore be taken very seriously and not be ignored because they

affect adulthood communications.

The work will equally be of help to marriage counselors who may have something to

put into the hands of their counselees. It will help couples and intending couples to build

attachment security which will help them deal with fear of any kind in their relationships.

Those (couples) who may have been suffering from attachment insecurity will find a way

out through the support this work will provide. Since emotional intelligence is a great tool in

having a robust relationship, this work will therefore equip the readers with the necessary

knowledge of emotional intelligence. Through their proper understanding and utilization of

emotional intelligence, there will be a robust marital relationships void of infidelity or

cheating of any kind.

It will equally be of immense help to scholars and researchers who may find it as a

referral. It will help build their knowledge in this field of study.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study focuses on investigating the extent to which attachment insecurity and

emotional intelligence as correlates of marital infidelityamong married civil servants in

Makurdi metropolis. Geographically, Makurdi is the Benue state capital and is located in the

north central part of Nigeria. The population of this study will cover only married civil

servants in Makurdi metropolis. A well representative sample from the population will be

used to generalize the findings. The variables for this study are: attachment insecurity,

emotional intelligence and marital infidelity. The study time frame is two academic

semesters.

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1.7 Operational Definition of Terms

In this section we will define the some key words in the as used in this study.

Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence is the ability to understand, use, and

manage your own emotions in positive ways to empathize with your partner, communicate

more effectively, and deal with conflict in a healthier way.

Attachment Insecurity:Attachment Insecurity can also be called insecure attachment and it

is seen as a way of approaching relationships with fear or uncertainty. Insecure attachment

involves someone who suffers from fear or uncertainty in relationships.

Marital Infidelity: This refers to the act of having a romantic or sexual relationship with

someone other than one’s marital spouse or partner. Infidelity can mean cheating, straying,

adultery, being unfaithful, two-timing, or having an affair. It is a violation of a couple's

emotional and/or sexual exclusivity that commonly results in feelings of anger, sexual

jealousy, and rivalry.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter reviews works that are related to the variables used in this study. It

presents the conceptual review, theoretical review, empirical review and summary of

literature review as well as the hypothesis.

2.1 Conceptual review

2.1.1 Attachment Insecurity

Attachment is a clinical term used to describe “a lasting psychological connectedness

between human beings” (Bowby, 1997). In particular, attachment theory highlights the

importance of a child’s emotional bond with their primary caregivers. Disruption to or loss

of this bond can affect a child emotionally and psychologically into adulthood, and have an

impact on their future relationships (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to

Children, 2021).

Bowlby (1997) introduce this theory and has clearly predicted that disrupting the

attachment relationship by creating distrust in the child leads to psychological disorders.

According to this theory, as conveyed in Amir et al., (2016), babies express a combination

of innate attachment behaviors like crying, laughing,sucking and grasping and the general

reason for such behaviors is maintaining physical nearness with the main attachment side

and results in baby’s survival in possible environmental dangersFollowing the Bowlby

theory, Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters and Wall as cited in Amir et al., (2016), invented strange

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situation methodology and described three styles of attachment as secure, avoidant and

ambivalent.

Attachment is considered as a special emotional relationship that requires calm and

exchange of pleasure-care which includes three safe insecure, avoidant insecure and anxiety

insecure styles. More accurately, attachment is the deep emotional connection we make with

certain people in our lives that makes us feel cheerful and happy when interacting with

them, and feel comfortable having them with us when we are stressed(Soltanzadeh, 2021).

Accordingly, Hadi et al., (2017) add that when a child forms negative perceptions of

himself and others or when he/she adopts unrealistic strategies for processing thoughts and

feelings related to attachment, they become more vulnerable in social, especially marital life.

Thus, attachment experiences in childhood have a profound effect on personality

development and subsequent attachment relationships in married life (Soltanzadeh, 2021).

Soltanzadeh (2021) observes that because people with an avoidant style cannot

establish deep and intimate relationships with co-workers, they are less satisfied with their

sexual and marital relationships and experience more interpersonal conflicts, especially with

their spouse, which is itself a strong factor for marital infidelity.

Lack of self-confidence and trust in others are two major attributes of insecure individuals

(avoidant and ambivalent). It can be said that lack of self-confidence and trust in others

reduces individuals’ ability to interact and associate with others and especially with spouse

((Abbasi, Tabatabaaei, Sharbaf, & Karshki, 2016). Avoiding interpersonal relationships and

failure to become friendly with others results in anxiety and inferiority complex in social

communications, which increases interpersonal and marital problems and causes negative

self-conception. That is to say, it has negative influence on marital life. Another reason may

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be the fact that an avoidant individual evades establishing relationship with others and

avoids a relationship as soon as he/she understands the relationship is becoming closer.

Abbasi et al, (2016) observe that ambivalent individuals tend to associate with other people

but they fear from becoming excluded. In addition, ambivalent people desire to be integrated

with others but they are afraid of rejection; therefore, they represent interpersonal positions

in a more pessimistic way and in comparison with others, consider themselves as less

capable of receiving rewards. Ambivalent individuals become distressed in their

communications. They avoid other people and are not satisfied with their marital life

(Abbasi, Tabatabaaei, Sharbaf, & Karshki, 2016).

Attachment insecurity is often caused by parental failure to ensure that the child is

attuned to them. It can equally be caused by childhood trauma or abuse. Such upbringing

could have a strong negative impact on the individual’s mental health, social behavior and

ability to build stable and long-lasting intimate relationships in adulthood.

On their own part, Amir et al., (2016) assert that the early relationships between

infant and care takers are significant and the emotional interactions of these relationships

play an important role in forming personality and adulthood relationships.

According to National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (2021), one

sign of secure attachment is that children see their caregivers as a secure base to explore

from. But children who have experienced neglect, for example, might display independent

behavior in order to protect themselves from the emotional pain of not having their needs

met.

Soltanzadeh (2021) notes thatpeople with insecure attachment styles are afraid of support

sources because they have a relationship based on mistrust, have inappropriate social

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relationships and a higher emotional vulnerability to stress. According toFeuerman, (2022)

insecure attachment is characterized by a lack of trust and a lack of a secure base. People

with an insecure style may behave in anxious, ambivalent, or unpredictable ways.

Soltanzadeh (2021)asserts that people with insecureattachment style usually have more

extramarital relationships, they can have sex without love and affection for the other person

and suddenly have a relationship with people outside the marital relationship. However,

people who have an ambivalent attachment style have a negative image of others and engage

in inappropriate self-disclosure due to fears of rejection by their spouse. Such people may

fall in love at a glance and experience a lot of anger and reconciliation. Additionally, Hadi et

al., (2017) believed that attachment styles havea significant effect on couples'

attitudestoward marital cheating. People with insecure attachment styles had lower levelsof

marital commitment.

Attachment insecurities influence cognitive‐motivational predispositions such as

cognitive scripts, which are based on (but not isomorphic with) working models. It also

influence a person’s pattern of information processing in unique ways. Thus for instance,

insecurely attached people tend to process interpersonal behaviors in more biased ways than

securely attached people. Attachment insecurity of both the avoidant and anxious type is

associated with less constructive, sensitive patterns of interpersonal communication and less

effective ways to resolve relational conflicts (Jones, 2016).

An insecure attachment style is a way of approaching relationships with fear or uncertainty.

It's essentially how we were emotionally cared for—or not cared for—as children growing

up. Struggling with insecure attachment as an adult often stems from insecurity as a child.

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Someone with insecure attachment oftentimes doesn’t feel secure in a relationship which

can lead to significant issues with your partner (Moore, 2022).

Ananya & Megha, (2021) on their own add that “the factors associated with

emotional intelligence (EI) such as emotional self-control, emotionalself-awareness or

empathy are also crucial requisites for a successful marriage”. Cheche & Jackson (2019),

state that “people with an insecure attachment style generally have trouble connecting

emotionally. They can be aggressive or unpredictable toward their loved ones—a behavior

rooted in the lack of consistent love and affection they experienced in childhood”. And this

type of problem may find a landing on an immoral act of infidelity.

People with an insecure attachment style generally have trouble connecting

emotionally. They can be aggressive or unpredictable toward their loved ones—a behavior

rooted in the lack of consistent love and affection they experienced in childhood (Cheche, &

Jackson, 2019). Research on relationship status generally suggests that being in a more

committed relationship is associated with greater attachment security and attenuates the

effects of attachment insecurity on relationship processes and outcomes.

2.1.2 Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to perceive, interpret, demonstrate, control,

and use emotions to communicate with and relate to others effectively and constructively.

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is equally seen as an ability of a person to monitor his/her own

and others’ emotions. Some experts suggest that Emotional Intelligence is more important

than Emotional Quotient (IQ) for success in life. Ananya, & Megha, (2021) assert that

emotional intelligence is a widely studied concept given its proven effectiveness in helping

individuals lean on positive ways to identify and manage their emotions and that of those

15
around them. He identified three skills which emotional intelligence must include as:

emotional awareness; the ability to harness emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking

and problem solving; and the ability to manage emotions, which includes regulating your

own emotions and cheering up or calming down other people. Being equipped with

emotional intelligence enables one to learn to acknowledge and understand feelings in

ourselves and in others and to respond appropriately to them (Ananya & Megh, 2021).

Effectively applying this information and utilizing the energy of emotions can positively

impact our daily life and in our relationships.

The word “intelligence” comes from two Latin words: intellegentia and ingenium.

The first word, considered in the way Cicero used the term, means “understanding” and

“knowledge”. The second word means “natural predisposition” or “ability” (Eysenck, 2018).

Emotional Intelligence first appeared in the concept of Thorndike’s “social intelligence” in

1920 and later from the psychologist Howard Gardner who, in 1983, recommended the

theory of multiple intelligence, arguing that intelligence includes eight forms (Athanasios, &

Chara, 2018). American psychologists Peter Salovey and John Mayer, who together

introduced the concept in 1990, define emotional intelligence “as the ability to monitor

one’s own and other’s emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use the information to

guide one’s thinking and actions” (Salovey & Mayer, 1990). People who have developed

their emotional intelligence have the ability to use their emotions to direct thoughts and

behavior and to understand their own feelings and others’ feelings accurately. Daniel

Goleman, an American writer, psychologist, and science journalist, disclosed the EI concept

in his book named “Emotional Intelligence” (Coleman 1995; Coleman 2001). He extended

16
the concept to include general social competence. Goleman suggested that EI is

indispensable for the success of one’s life and it is a skill that can be learned and developed.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to perceive, interpret, demonstrate, control, and use

emotions to communicate with and relate to other effectively and constructively. This ability

to express and control emotions is essential, but so is the ability to understand, interpret and

respond to the emotions of others. Emotional intelligence describes a person’s ability to be

aware of, control and express emotions in a healthy manner (Angela, 2018).

The importance of emotional intelligence cannot be over-stretched, since people’s

emotions most times control their behavior. Athanasios, & Chara (2018), state that

emotional intelligence (EI) “is the rudder for feeling, thinking, learning, problem-solving

and decision-making”. Going further, he added that many people misinterpret their own

emotional reactions, fail to control emotional outbursts, or act strangely under various

pressures, resulting in harmful consequences to themselves, others and society. Other people

have greater ability to perform sophisticated information processing about emotions and

emotion-relevant stimuli and to use this information as a guide for their own thoughts and

behaviours and for others, in general. It is worth-noting that the influence of emotional

intelligence on daily life in the short and long-term is important as well. Emotional

Intelligence (EI), matters somuch that if it is cultivated correctly, it affords one the

opportunity to live a more fulfilled and happy life as an individual and with other people.

Karimi, et al., (2020) state that “there is a strong evidence that EI is an important factor in

improving work performance”. Research indicates that high EI leads to enhanced

psychological wellbeing and higher rates of positive emotional states (Lin,Liebert, Tran,

Lau,& Salles, 2016; Cejudo, Rodrigo-Ruiz, López-Delgado, Losada, 2018), and that

17
emotional intelligence training can develop meaningfulness at home and happiness (Thory,

2016; Callea, De Rosa, Ferri, Lipari, Costanzi, 2019).

Emotional intelligence (EI) allows for individuals understanding one’s own and other’s

feelings and emotions to differentiate among them to use this to regulate one’s thinking and

actions while implementing effective person to person relationship (Debes, 2021).

Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, understand, and use emotions positively to

manage anxiety, communicate well, empathize, overcome issues, solve problems, and

manage conflicts. According to Ability EI model, it is the perception, evaluation, and

management of emotions in yourself and others (Athanasios, & Chara, 2018). Emotional

Intelligence EI, or the ability to perceive, use, understand and regulate emotions, is relatively

new concept that attempts to connect both emotion and recognition (Guerra-Bustamante,

León-Del-Barco, Yuste-Tosina, López-Ramos, & Mendo-Lázaro, 2019).

With emotional intelligence, you learn to insist, to control your impulses, to survive

despite adversities and difficulties, to hope for and to have empathy. Emotional Intelligence

provides you with a better inner world to cope with the outside world. It involves and

engages higher cognitive functions such as attention, memory, regulation, reasoning,

awareness, monitoring, and decision-making (Mancini, Biolcati, Joseph, Trombini, &

Andrei, 2022).

Emotional intelligence forms the juncture at which cognition and emotion meet, it

facilitatesour capacity for resilience, motivation, empathy, reasoning, stress

management,communication, as well as our ability to read and navigate a plethora of social

situations,including conflict. EI matters, and if cultivated correctly, affords one the

opportunity to livea more fulfilled and happy life (Ananya, & Megha, 2021).

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 Eze & Mba (2018), state that “general concept of emotional intelligence suggests

that an individual can recognize emotions inhimself or herself and in others, and can use that

recognition as basis for cognition and action. An individualwith a high level of emotional

intelligence is said to more likely demonstrate a high quality of social andinterpersonal

relationships, and likely to express love and other emotions”.

Hughes & Evans (2018), submit that the various conceptualizations of emotional

intelligence (EI) may be considered constituents of existing perspectives of cognitive ability

(ability EI), personality (trait EI), emotion regulation (EI competencies), and emotional

awareness (the aptitude to conceptualize and describe one's own emotions and those of

others). But Mancini, et al., (2022) state thatacross all models, emotional intelligence (EI)

involves handling emotions and putting them at the disposal of thinking activity.

With emotional intelligence you acknowledge, accept, and control your emotions

and emotional reactions as well as those of other people (Szczygieł, & Mikolajczak, 2017).

You learn about yourself and move on to the understanding of other people’s self. You learn

to coexist better, which is very important since we are not alone in this world and because

when we want to advance ourselves, and society as a whole, there must be cooperation and

harmony. With emotional intelligence, you learn to insist, to control your impulses, to

survive despite adversities and difficulties, to hope for and to have empathy Athanasios, &

Chara, 2018).

2.1.3 Marital infidelity

Before we can talk about marital infidelity, we have to talk about marriage because we can

say clearly that there will be no marital infidelity without a marriage. Abamara, et al (2018)

attest that contemporary, marriage and marital relationship is the start of forming a family.

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 Marriage is an agreement, a contract, a relationship, a bond that is initiated by the

two people involved, built on mutual rights and obligations, (Ashley2019). Marriage has

been documented in every known cultures. While the Christians believe that marriage is the

first institution created by God. God made the first man, Adam, but declared that it was not

good for Adam to be alone. He then brought to Adam all the animals, which Adam named,

but “no companion suitable for him” was found (Genesis 2:20, NLT). In as much as

monogamy was seen as a “white man culture”, it is also noted that any legitimate union

begins with marriage. Marital commitment is an individual’s willingness to put the marital

relationshipbefore other commitments such as friends, family, and work.

Infidelity is the practice or instance of having a sexual affair with someone other than your

spouse. It may not be sexual affair but an attachment which may be emotional with any

other person or thing other than ones partner. Although marital relationships can be the

source of some of life’s most enjoyable experiences, they are also the source of one of life’s

most painful experiences—infidelity. Infidelity is defined as a sexual and/or emotional act

by a person who is in a relationship of commitment, with this act occurring outside the

primary relationship and constituting a breach of trust and/or violation of the rules agreed by

the couple, by one or both individuals in an emotionally and/or sexually exclusive

relationship (Moller & Vossler, 2015; Scheeren & Wagner, 2018).

Beltrán-Morillas et al, (2019) define infidelity as a violation of the commitment of

relational exclusivity, which can adopt a sexual, emotional, and/or mixed format of short or

long duration with people other than the main partner.

Infidelity manifests when a partner in a marriage contract withdraws his or her attention,

care, concern or show of love from the other partner to another person other than his/her

20
partner. It begins with shifting of attention and moves through extramarital sex in some

cases. Once that togetherness is not found in any marriage relationship, there is a trouble of

infidelity. Mahambrey, (2020), states that “infidelity is unapproved romantic or sexual

behaviours outside of one’s relationship”.

Skakke & Giles (2019) state that infidelity is one of the worst events that occur in

marital life. A person who has betrayed his wife is severely damaged emotionally and

emotionally, and in some cases this emotional shock is so much that someone takes drugs,

alcohol, hunger strikes or excessive overeating and other things (Utley, 2019).

Infidelity is not just a sexual intercourse with one other than ones’ spouse. It can

come in so many ways. Below are some of the identified types of infidelity:

Emotional infidelity refers to the directing ofemotional resources (love, time,

attention) topersons other than one’s long-term partner. Emotional infidelity includes deep

feelings and a deep relation for another person. This could involve dissipated thoughts of

that person, and also feeling of willingness or intimacy. Emotional infidelity is damaging to

a relationship; it can lead to feelings of betrayal and undermine trust. Worse, emotional

infidelity may eventually lead to physical cheating and physical intimacy. Manoochehr, et

al, (2019) define emotional infidelity as “an intense emotional attachment outside her or his

main loving connection. Researchers have agreed thatwomen are more likely to be

distressed byemotional infidelity, whereas men are more likelyto be distressed by sexual

infidelity.

Emotional infidelity significantly promotes sexual infidelity (Nelson & Salawu,

2017). Also, becoming involved with someone else pulls the cheating partner away from

21
their established relationship, leaving their partner feeling alone (Falconer, & Humphreys,

2019).

Online or internet or phone infidelity. This is also called by cyber infidelity and it consists

ofelements of both emotional intimacy and sexualvirtual contact. One of the things online or

internet infidelity will do is that it will largely reduce theprerequisite for communication, the

couple will now centre his or her attention on the internet and no longer on the partner. And

this will affect the relationship of the couple because their togetherness will be affected and

separation will set in and that interaction between the couple will be missing even though it

is required in real-life relationships (Hwong, 2016). Inappropriate texting can be considered

cheating depending on a couple’s boundaries around fidelity. Signs of a texting affair may

include being secretive, keeping your phone down or out of sight, and flirting with others

through text. According to Nelson, & Salawu, (2017) “texting can turn into physical

attraction, as intimacy is often built on emotional bonding”. Internet/phone or online

infidelity can certainly end a relationship. As with all infidelity, it deceives their partner,

which often leads to trust issues in a relationship. Without trust, it becomes impossible to

maintain a relationship. Falconer, & Humphreys, (2019) add that, “becoming involved with

someone else pulls the cheating partner away from their established relationship, leaving

their partner feeling alone”.

Sex infidelity: this is when the relationship with the outsider has move to having

sexual affairs with him/her. The men may see physical attraction, desire, passion,

opportunity, being seduced, male nature and instinct as reasons to involve in infidelity while

women on their own may see dissatisfaction with the partner, lack of love, increasing self-

esteem, revenge, and not feeling desired by the partner. Sexual infidelity involves physical

22
and sexual engagement with another person (Weiser, & Weigel, 2017). Basically having

sexual relations or involving in the act of sex with someone other than one’s spouse or

partner (Weiser, Weigel, Lalasz, & Evans, 2017).Beltrán-Morillas et al., (2015) add that

infidelity of a sexual nature is seen as the most serious and the least likely to be forgiven.

Rahimi, et al (2019) add that all Infidelities have devastating effects on the

individual and his wife, but sexual Infidelityis the worst kind of Infidelity between husbands

and husbands, which causes a person to haveirreparable mental and psychological harm.

Other types of infidelity as noted by Tristan are, object infidelity, financial infidelity, micro

infidelity,and combined infidelity (Tristan, 2022). When talking about object infidelity, it

can be seen in the lives of some couples who may be so addicted to their books or something

else that they don’t even have time for their spouses. Financial infidelity is seen when a

couple starts hiding his/her pay from the spouse. Micro infidelity connotes the idea of one

spouse flirting without the intention of straying from the marriage vows. It begins from

somewhere and progresses if not checked. While combined infidelity means that the spouse

is joining some types of infidelity together. He/she may be involved in object infidelity,

emotional infidelity, and/or others.

The offending partner may also harbor intense fear that they will never be forgiven

by the partner they hurt and worry they must constantly prove themselves beyond reasonable

expectation. Other partners may actually blame the infidelity on their partner or express

irritability or coldness (Tristan, 2022). Aperception of high likelihood of marital infidelity

could negatively impact wives’ or husbands’ trusttowards their husbands or wives as the

case may be, consequently affecting marital commitment of wives and overallmarital

satisfaction.

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 When a marriage suffers a breakdown on any account, especially on account of

infidelity, the members of the families (immediate and extended) are affected as a result;

their friends and their acquaintances are equally hurt (Kass: 2018). The state of such

marriages also affect the upbringing of their children as has been observed above, this in

turn may affect the society since the children are members of the society (Ikwuegbu, 2022).

Infidelity in marriage has broken many homes and contributed largely to the increasing

number of ill-bred children. The aftermath of infidelity in marriage is enormous and could

be devastating especially for the one being cheated. The pains of infidelity by a partner may

remain for a very long time and cause a number of damage on the individuals and the

relationship. A number of issues or conditions could result from it, such as; chronic anxiety,

post-traumatic stress, depression, and mistrust (Moore: 2021).In other words, infidelity in

marriages can necessitate ripples of effects; especially on women, these effects could be

physical, psychological/emotional or social. Marital infidelity is an evil and shameful act,

which affects the couple equally when any of them is involved.

According to Ikwuegbu (2022) extramarital affair leaves a man with little or no

respect; such a man lacks integrity and composure because of the guilt due to his ruinous

lifestyle. This is even more intensified when the spouse and the society gets to know of his

irresponsible proclivity for infamous habits. Marital infidelity encourages the spread of

sexually transmitted diseases, the tendency to substance abuse thereby creating life-

threatening situations. This implies that the life and fertility of a woman is endangered by

the unfaithfulness of her partner.Tristan (2022), affirms that Infidelity is physical or

emotional unfaithfulness in a partnership, and it often results in profound emotional damage.

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The negative consequences of infidelity, such as physical abuse, may be more severe for

women suspected of infidelity than for men guilty of the same behaviors. Beyond concerns

of HIV infection (which may likely be contacted), one important consequence of marital

infidelity on health is intimate partner violence.Manoochehr, Ismail, Wan, Wan, & Yusni

(2019), found that marital Infidelity has negative effects on couples’ and parents’

relationships and may be the most feared and destroying experience of couple relationships,

which may cause divorce which effects on couple, parents and their children.

According to American Association for Marriage and Family (2020), “the injured

partner may face intense emotional reactions. Some feel a sense of loss or betrayal trauma.

Others may experience symptoms of anxiety or depression, including suicidal thoughts. For

some, the stress is so severe it resembles post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (sometimes

referred to as infidelity post-traumatic stress disorder)”. Tristan (2022) adds that “the person

who engaged in the betrayal may also be significantly affected by extreme emotional

reactions, including a strong sense of guilt or shame”. Some people may feel stuck or

helpless in the relationship, while others feel hopeless that they can change. Some people

struggle with giving up the extra-marital relationship, even if they know it needs to end.

They may even feel a sense of grief.

Since the consequences of infidelity is so grave, it should be avoided completely. Is

will be safer for one to stay focused in his/her marriage insure that that tie is so strong

always. Even Casper (2021) submits that “infidelity is the most frequently cited reason for

romantic breakups and divorce”.

2.2 Theoretical Review

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 This section presents some theories that are related to the variables which are,

marital infidelity, emotional intelligence, and attachment insecurity.

2.2.1 Bar-On’s Emotional-Social Intelligence Model/theory

Bar-On’s Emotional-Social model is seen as a mixed model that combines

emotional, social, cognitive, and personality dimensions. Bar-On’s EI model posits that

emotional-social intelligence involves a connection of interrelated emotional and social

competencies, which tend to determine how we understand and express ourselves, how we

understand others, how we relate with people around us, and how we cope with daily

emotional challenges (Bar-On, 2006). To validate the factors proposed in his model, Bar-On

developed the Emotional Quotient Inventory [EQ-i]. It became the first commercial

instrument for measuring EI (Bar-On, 1997). He further developed a battery of EI

psychological tests (i.e., interviews, external raters’ questionnaires, and measures of self-

report for different ages). Because the EQ-i measures emotion and social knowledge, it does

not just give an estimation of the EI quotient; it also offers respondents’ affective and social

profiles. This partly gave credence to the submission that the Bar-On model is a mixed

model (Odukoya, & Oraetua, 2020).

Bar-On put forward the suggestion that EI is a system of interconnected behavior that arises

from emotional and social competencies. He argues that these competencies have an

influence on performance and behavior.Bar-On’s model of EI consists of five scales: self-

perception, self-expression, interpersonal, decision-making, and stress management (Faltas,

2017). Going further, Bar-On also proposed 15 subscales of the EI concept. And these

subscales are; self-regard, self-actualization, emotional self-awareness, emotional

expression, assertiveness, independence, interpersonal relationships, empathy social

26
responsibility, problem-solving, reality testing, impulse control, flexibility, stress tolerance

and optimism (Bar-On, R., 1997). According to Bar-On, these competencies, as components

of EI, drive human behavior and relationships. (Cherry, 2018).

2.2.2. Mayer, Salovey and Caruso’s EI Ability Model/theory

The EI ability model was proposed by Mayer, Caruso& Salovey (1997). The model

appeared to have spurred the highest number of citations in recent times and the appeal of

this model seems to be in the uniqueness of measuring the construct of EI and the systematic

scoring method. In the ability-based model, EI is construed as a mental ability (Odukoya, &

Oraetua, 2020). This model suggests that information from the perceived understanding of

emotions and managing emotions is used to facilitate thinking and guide our decision

making. This EI framework emphasizes the four-branch model of EI.

Mayer and Salovey (2003), suggested that EI is a cognitive ability, which is separate

but also associated with general intelligence. Specifically, Mayer, et al., (2003), suggested

that emotional intelligence consists of four skill dimensions: (1) perceiving emotion (i.e., the

ability to detect emotions in faces, pictures, music, etc.); (2) facilitating thought with

emotion (i.e., the ability to harness emotional information in one’s thinking); (3)

understanding emotions (i.e., the ability to understand emotional information); and (4)

managing emotions (i.e., the ability to manage emotions for personal and interpersonal

development). These skills are arranged hierarchically so that the perceptual emotion has a

key role facilitating thinking, understanding emotions, and managing emotions. These

branches are arising from higher order basic skills, which are evolved as a person matures

(Athanasios, & Chara, 2018).

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 These branches, which are ordered from emotion perception through to management,

align with the way in which the ability fits within the individual’s overall personality

(Mayer,Salovey & Caruso, 2004). According to him, the first and the second ones represent

the somewhat separate parts of information processing that are thought to be bound in the

emotion system – whereas, emotion management (which is the fourth one) is integrated into

his/her plans and goals (Mayer, Salovey & Caruso, 2004). It should be noted that each

branch consists of skills that progress developmentally from more basic skills through to

more sophisticated skills.

Mayer and his colleagues stated that the first one (perceiving emotion) involves the

perception of emotion, including being able to identify emotions in the facial and postural

expressions of others. It reflects non-verbal perception and emotional expression to

communicate via the face and voice (Mayer, Salovey & Caruso, 2004). The second one is

the ability to use emotions in order to aid thinking. The third one represents the capacity to

understand emotion, including being able to analyze emotions and awareness of the likely

trends in emotion over time, as well as an appreciation of the outcomes from emotions. It

also includes the capacity to label and discriminate between feelings. While the last one,

emotional self-management, includes an individual’s personality with goals, self-knowledge

and social awareness shaping the way in which emotions are managed (Mayer, Salovey &

Caruso, 2004). These four models were further updated by Mayer, Caruso, and Salovey in

2016, based on the developments in EI research. They included more instances of problem-

solving and claimed that the mental abilities involved in EI do, in fact, remain to be

determined. They stated that these skills are what define EI (Mayer, Salovey & Caruso,

2016).

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2.2. 3 Goleman’s EI Performance Model/theory

The concept of EI was made popular when Daniel Goleman’s book was published in

1995. He made many profound statements on the influence of EI on many aspects of human

life, including general wellbeing. In his first EI book, Goleman (1995) posited that EI

involves four essential components. According to Goleman (1995), the newly categorized

four dimensions serve as the foundation of developing other competencies required in an

organization. He reiterated that emotional competencies are skills that yield outstanding

results in the workplace. The four dimensions that make for organizational success are self-

awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. Social

awareness is comprised of empathy, organizational awareness, and service orientation. Self-

management is comprised of self-control, trustworthiness, conscientiousness, adaptability,

initiative, and achievement drive. Relationship management is comprised of a change

catalyst, building bonds, communications, collaboration, teamwork, leadership, influence,

conflict management, and developing others (Odukoya, & Oraetua, 2020).

According to Goleman (1995), EI is a cluster of skills and competencies, which are

focused on four capabilities: self-awareness, relationship management, and social

awareness.Goleman (1995) argues that these four capabilities form the basis of 12

‘subscales’ of EI.

He suggests that these subscales are:

i. emotional self-awareness

ii. emotional self-control

iii. adaptability

iv. achievement orientation

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 v. positive outlook

vi. influence

vii. coaching and mentoring

viii. empathy

ix. conflict management

x. teamwork

xi. organizational awareness

xii. inspirational leadership (Faltas, 2017)

2.2.4 Trait emotional theory

Trait Emotional Intelligence (Trait EI) theory posits that EI was to be a traits,

meaning that it is inherent (Ananya, & Megha, 2021). It was introduced by Petrides in 2001

and describes our perceptions of our emotional world (Petrides, 2001), what our emotional

dispositions are and how good we believe we are in terms of perceiving, understanding,

managing, and utilizing our own and other people's emotions” (Petrides, Sanchez-Ruiz,

Siegling, Saklofske, & Mavroveli, 2018). Petrides (2016) identified that trait Emotional

Intelligence can equally be called “trait emotional self-efficacy”. Going further he states that

trait emotional intelligence essentially concerns people’s perceptions of their emotional

world. The roots of trait EI lie in the longstanding study of emotions from a personality

perspective. Although there are still different conceptualizations, models, and measures

(self-reports or other-reports) of EI, so far only the Trait EI theory (Petrides, Mikolajczak,

Mavroveli, Sanchez-Ruiz, Furnham, & Pérez-González, 2016; Petrides, Siegling, &

Saklofske, 2016) offers a comprehensive scientific framework in which to interpret the

30
diverse results of independent empirical research in a way consistent with the longstanding

study of individual differences in personality and emotion throughout the lifespan.

Trait EI is consistently positively and significantly related to the most relevant areas of

interest for prosperity and happiness in life across the life span, such as well-being, health,

romantic and social relationships, leadership, psychosocial adjustment, academic

performance, or job performance, and job satisfaction (Andrei, Siegling, Aloe, Baldaro, &

Petrides,, 2016; Keefer, Parker, & Saklofske, 2018; Lea, Qualter, Davis, Pérez-González, &

Bangee, 2018).

The theory of trait EI is summarized with applications from the domains of clinical,

educational, and organizational psychology (Petrides, Mikolajczak, Mavroveli, & Sanchez-

Ruiz, 2016) and it's clearly distinguished from the notion of EI as a cognitive ability.

Athanasios, & Chara, (2018) submit that, EI also focuses on the character and aspects of

self-control, such as the ability to delay pleasures, the tolerance to frustrations, and the

regulation of impulses (ego strength). Across all models, EI involves handling emotions and

putting them at the disposal of thinking activity. Although EI is an ability to understand and

control emotions in general, this is only a small part of some models of EI. Indeed, trait EI

concerns our perceptions of our emotional world and comprises a broad collection of traits

linked to the opportunity of understanding, managing, and utilizing our own and other

people's emotions, helping us figure out and dealing with emotional and social situations

(Mancini, Biolcati, Joseph, Trombini, & Andrei, 2022).

Petrides, et al (2016), state that Trait emotional intelligence (“trait EI”) concerns our

perceptions of our emotional abilities, that is, how good we believe we are in

31
terms of understanding, regulating, and expressing emotions in order to adapt to our

environment and maintain well-being.

It involves and engages higher cognitive functions such as attention, memory,

regulation, reasoning, awareness, monitoring, and decision-making (Athanasios & Chara,

2018)

2.2.5 Attachment Theories

Attachment theory began with the works of John Bowlby. John Bowlby was a

psychiatrist and a psychoanalyst. He asserted that our early relationships with our parents (or

caregivers) shape the way we perceive and act in relationships throughout our lives (Bowby,

1997).

John Bowlby stated that as infants/children, we are dependent on our parents or

primary caregivers.   We need them for survival, so we have no other option than to attach to

them and trust that they will take good care of us. In most cases, parents will do their best to

satisfy all our needs and provide us with a warm and nurturing environment. If they are

attuned and responsive to our needs, we are able to build a secure and stable relationship

with them, and consequently, a secure attachment style. According to him, if they are not, or

if we perceive that our needs are not met, we are likely to develop one of the three

attachment styles categorized as insecure.

John Bowlby came up with three attachment styles which are: anxious

(or preoccupied; referred to as anxious ambivalent in children), avoidant (or dismissive;

referred to as anxious avoidant in children), and disorganized (referred to as fearful-avoidant

in children), (Bowlby, 1988). Bowlby believed that the attachment system, as he and others

called it, served two primary functions: to protect vulnerable individuals from potential

32
threats or harm and to regulate negative emotions following threatening or harmful events

Pronin, & Olivola, 2023). Thus, the style of attachment in adulthood may develop in a

double slope: secure attachment (Cirhinlioğlu, Cirhinlioğlu, & Tepe,2016; Beltrán-Morillas,

Valor-Segura, & Expósito, 2019) or insecure attachment that, in turn, can result in an

avoidant attachment style or an anxious attachment style (Cirhinlioğlu, Cirhinlioğlu, &

Tepe, 2016; Beltrán-Morillas, Valor-Segura, & Expósito, 2019).

It is observed that as children with attachment issues get older, these behaviour

patterns might evolve. As well as being evident during times of stress, some behaviours may

start to become obvious at other times. These may include the child:

i. finding it difficult to ask for help

ii. struggling to form positive relationships with adults and peers

iii. struggling to concentrate

iv. struggling to calm themselves down

v. both demanding and rejecting attention or support at the same time

vi. becoming quickly or disproportionately angry or upset, at times with no clear

triggers

vii. appearing withdrawn or disengaged from activities

viii. daydreaming, being hyperactive or constantly fidgeting or moving

(Mentally Healthy Schools, 2020)

With respect to trust in marriage, there will be issues of distrust for people with

attachment issues. Attachment insecurity therefore makes the person to have problem with

trusting his or her partner, struggles to calm himself/herself down, appears withdrawn, and

these will certainly affect his/her marital relationship and will open doors for marital

33
infidelity. Young children who have formed a secure attachment to their caregiver may

display the following patterns of behaviour during times of stress or exploration:

i. proximity maintenance – wanting to be near their primary caregiver

ii. safe haven - returning to their primary caregiver for comfort and safety if they feel

afraid or threatened

iii. secure base – treating their primary caregiver as a base of security from which they

can explore the surrounding environment. The child feels safe in the knowledge that

they can return to their secure base when needed

iv. separation distress - experiencing anxiety in the absence of their primary caregiver.

They are upset when their caregiver leaves, but happy to see them and easily

comforted when they return (Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 2015).

Going by this therefore one can say that without a secure attachment or with an

attachment insecurity the will be a serious problem with the individual and with his or her

relationship (Cirhinlioğlu, Cirhinlioğlu, & Tepe, 2016). This means that a person with

attachment insecurity will be able to stay away from his/her partner without feeling it and

life being void of vacuum will make provision for any of the types or forms or types of

infidelity to creep in and from one level to another (McDaniel, & Coyne, 2014).

Whereas those who develop a secure attachment style tend to believe that others are

available to them and behave accordingly, those who develop an insecure attachment style,

i.e., attachment anxiety or attachment avoidance, tend to believe relatives, neighbours or

colleagues are less available to them and behave accordingly (Cherry, 2022). Intimates who

develop high levels of attachment anxiety are uncertain of the availability of close others

and cope by seeking reassurance from and clinging to the partner. Intimates who develop

high levels of attachment avoidance, in contrast, doubt the availability of close others and
34
cope by avoiding behaviors that promote intimacy. Both types of insecurity may be

associated with marital infidelity. Individuals high in attachment anxiety tend to feel that

their needs for intimacy are not being met in their current relationships and in most cases

they and use sex to meet their unmet needs (Rock, Coventry, & Clark, 2018) .

Factors affecting attachment

It was Bowlby who also asserted in his theory that some circumstances can make it more

challenging for a child and their caregivers to form a pattern of secure attachment. These

may include:

i. abuse, maltreatment and trauma experienced by the parent or child

ii. parental mental health difficulties

iii. parental substance misuse

iv. the child having multiple care placements

v. parents being separated from their baby just after birth, for example if the baby is

receiving neonatal care

vi. stress such as having a low income, being a single parent, or being a young parent

vii. bereavement or loss of another caregiver that a child had an attachment with. And

once this attachment issue begins the child grows with it and develops attachment

insecurity which will be an issue all through his/her life (Bowlby 1989).

2.2.6. Theories of infidelity

Manoochehr, et al, see family is a basic unit in human society. The basic core of

family institution is marriage or marital relationships. Marriage is the process by which a

woman and a man as spouse make their relationship public and official. People get married

35
because of love, responsibility, career advancement, economic, and to achieve feeling of

fulfillment (Manoochehr, Ismail, Wan, Wan, & Yusni, 2019). Marriage institution has gone

through some progressive transformation with time especially in how couple relates to one

another. Marital infidelity can cause high divorce rate, homicide, mental health issues like

depression, and adjustment problems (Whisman, 2016). Infidelity can be defined with many

words like cheating, adultery, unfaithful, extramarital or stepping out. Fincham, & May,

(2017) state that the definition of marital infidelity consists of sexual infidelity (sexual

exchange with no romantic involvement), romantic infidelity (romantic exchanges with no

sexual involvement) and sexual and romantic involvement. For years, marital infidelity has

been discussed by researchers and those in the helping profession. According to them,

marital infidelity will continue to be a challenge to marriage institution and couple

relationships. It is a complex issue and every couple has to prepare themselves to this threat

to their relationship (Manoochehr, Ismail, Wan, Wan & Yusni, 2019).

Why some people engage in infidelity

Sheeren, et al., observed some things people give as a reason for infidelity. They

include personal reasons, lack of affection, loneliness and insecurity, personal

characteristics, need for sex, desire or physical attraction, seeking freedom, adventure and

valorization, revenge, anger, or hostility, dissatisfaction with the partner and/or the

relationship, alcohol use, as a way of scape from problems, etc (Sheeren, Apellániz, &

Wagner, 2018).

36
 Ikwuegbu (2022) observed some other cause of infidelity as Culture, revenge, anger

or hostility, lack of adequate love, and lack of maturity and discipline.

Culture: Culture is said to be people’s way of life. For some people, polygamy is well

accepted and even celebrated, the man is seen as being wealthy. With such cultural

background men marry as many wives as they wish, many find it easy to have extramarital

affairs with impunity.

Revenge, anger or hostility: Some couples use infidelity as a tool of revenge to their

partners who may have cheated on them or offended them in one way or another.

Lack of adequate love and affection: Infidelity also happens when couples are not truly in

love with their spouses. They may have started in love but along the way their love started

waxing cold and they now feel dissatisfied and trapped in their marriages and therefore

cheat on their spouses as an outlet.

Lack of maturity and discipline: Maturity though a life-long process is an essential

component of marriage. Self-control is a sine-qua non in the process of marriage, the adult

man and woman in marriage must exercise enough self-mastery to control the desires of the

senses in order to stay committed, where this is lacking, the tendency to cheat can hardly be

avoided. The urge or the temptation may come but maturity and discipline will always

overcome it

Sheri (2022) on his own observed some causes of infidelity too which he includes

unhappiness/dissatisfaction, feeling unappreciated, lack of commitment, boredom, body

image/aging, and revenge.

37
Unhappiness/Dissatisfaction: Dissatisfaction with the marriage either emotionally or

sexually is common. Marriage is work, and without mutual nurturing couples may grow

apart. A sexless marriage is often claimed as a reason for both men and women.

Feeling unappreciated: Feeling undervalued or neglected can lead to infidelity. When both

partners work, women often carry the brunt of the housework and childcare. In this case, the

affair validates the person's sense of worth. On the flip side, however, feeling neglected may

be related to unrealistic expectations of a partner rather than true neglect.

Lack of commitment:Everything else aside, Khalili, & Wong, (2018) found that people

who are less committed to their relationship are more likely to cheat.

Boredom: Men and women looking for the thrill of the chase and the excitement of

newfound love may be more likely to cheat. Rather than trying to find a substitute for their

partner, some claim their fling is a way to spice up their marriage. Falling out of love is

frequently cited as a reason for cheating. This may involve a lack of understanding of how

love matures in marriage.

Body image/aging: Illustrated frequently by stories of middle-aged men having an affair

with women the age of their daughters, cheating may sometimes be a way for a man (or

woman) to prove that they still "have it." Hand in hand with these thoughts, a spouse may

cast blame for their own indiscretions by claiming that their spouse has "let himself/herself

go."

Revenge: If one partner has had an affair or has damaged the partner in some way, the

offended partner may feel a need for revenge resulting in an affair.

Others identify some other things as possible causes of infidelity which are;

38
Lack of a secure attachment or emotional bond

Fye, & Grace (2018), observe that building a secure attachment/emotional bond can help

couples overcome infidelity. Having a satisfying and secure attachment or emotional bond

with one’s spouse was a factor within the data with substantial analytic power. This

protective factor was found to be comprised of subcategories of intimacy, enjoying the

relationship, communication, and knowledge and exposure to healthy relationships. When

individuals feel emotionally connected, perceive that their emotional needs are met, and

have a sense of togetherness, they are less tempted to seek both emotional and sexual affairs

(Fye, & Grace, 2018).

Chery (2022) submits that attachment is an emotional bond with another person. This

implies that when the attachment is secure it builds emotional bonding between the couple.

It was Bowby (1982) who described attachment as a “lasting psychological connectedness

between human beings”.Li (2023)submits that in psychology, attachment is the emotional

bond formed in infants and toddlers, who seek close proximity to their caregivers for

survival.

Lack of Sex in a Marriage

Scholars agree thatwhen couples showwillingness to meet each other’s sexual needs and

practice sexual creativity, marital infidelity is reduced (Fye, & Grace, 2018). Sometimes

marital infidelity is caused by sexual dissatisfaction or incompatibility between partners.

Manymen and women follow marital infidelity because they like to increase their sex lives

(Manoochehr, Ismail, Wan, Wan, & Yusni, 2019). Sheri (2022) states that, sex addiction in

one partner increases the chance that they will be unsatisfied with the physical aspect of

their marriage and look elsewhere.

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Lack of Behavioural, Cognitive, and Relationship Boundaries

Behavioral, cognitive, and relationship boundaries were the three domains one must keep on

guard if he /she must maintain chastity in his/her marriage. Behavioural boundaries consist

of actions taken to decrease infidelity risk and increase the protection of monogamy in their

relationships. Cognitive boundaries to be an internal process of establishing mental

protections in the following ways: (a) shifting cognitions away from desire or an external

person, (b) finding value in platonic connections with others, (c) maintaining fear of losing

one’s spouse, (d) practicing a daily choice to be monogamous, and (e) viewing infidelity as

having more cost than reward. boundaries help people protect the value of their relationship

and monogamy through (a) reasonable expectations, (b) beliefs that the relationship is

special and meaningful, and (c) continued investment in the intentions and expectations for a

monogamous relationship ((Fye, & Grace, 2018).

2.3 Empirical Review

2.3.1 Attachment insecurity and marital infidelity

Abbasi, Tabatabei, Sharbaf, & Karshki (2016) carried out a research work on

Relationship of Attachment Styles and Emotional Intelligence With Marital Satisfaction.

The results indicated that secure attachment style has positive significant relationship with

marital satisfaction (r = 0.609, P < 0.001), also avoidant attachment style and ambivalent

attachment style have negative significant relationship with marital satisfaction (r = -0.446, r

= -0.564) (P < 0.001). Also, attachment styles can significantly predict marital satisfaction

(P < 0.001).

40
 Guitar, et al. stated that researchers studying interpersonal relationships often

distinguish between “sexual infidelity” and “emotional infidelity.” They discovered that it

remains largely unclear whether and how individuals actually conceptualize these constructs

in their own lives, and how men and women vary, if at all, in their definitions and

understanding of different types of infidelity. In their research they used a mixed-

methodology approach to explore the epistemological nature of sexual infidelity and

emotional infidelity. In Study 1, 379 participants provided open-ended definitions of what

they believe constitutes sexual infidelity and emotional infidelity. In Study 2, responses

were then coded by a different group of outside raters to examine overall themes in the

definitions provided and how prototypical these definitions were for each type of infidelity.

Results identified and examined the definitions with the highest mean ratings in terms of

how well they represented emotional infidelity or sexual infidelity. Overall, both men and

women had more consistency in their definitions of what constituted sexual infidelity than

on what constituted emotional infidelity, suggesting that emotional infidelity is a more

vague and complex concept than sexual infidelity. Additionally, when asked to define sexual

and emotional infidelity, many participants focused on specific behaviors (including

deception), but when asked to consider the types of infidelity as distinct from each other,

participants focused on feelings. By exploring how individuals actually define these

constructs, these data provide a more accurate and rich depiction of how individuals define

acts of infidelity than currently exists in the relationship literature (Guitar, et al 2017).

Additionally, Hadi et al., (2017) believed that attachment styles havea significant effect on

couples' attitudes toward marital cheating. People withinsecure attachment styles had lower

levels of marital commitment.

41
 Soltanzadeh, (2021) in his work on Predicting Attitudes toward Marital Infidelity

Based on Attachment and Perfectionism Styles observe that people with insecure

attachment styles tend to have more extramarital affairs, have love-free sex and to have sex

outside the marital relationship.

Considering the fact that in so many of these relationships the other partner may

likely have all it takes to make their partner happy and comfortable, so the question has

been, why do people cheat? Why is marital infidelity so common? To answer this very

question, some researchers have made some efforts to know why people cheat in their

relationships. A wide variety of factors can bring out some type of affair.A study of 495

people revealed eight key reasons for infidelity in so many marriages today: anger, low self-

esteem, lack of love, low commitment, need for variety, neglect, sexual desire, and

circumstance (Selterman, Garcia, & Tsapelas; 2021).It is important to understand that these

reasons arise within the cheater and are not the responsibility of the betrayed partner.

According to Amir et al (2016) the results of the research which they carried out on

Relationship of Attachment Styles and Emotional Intelligence showed that attachment styles

can significantly predict marital satisfaction.Furthermore, Marital Satisfaction had positive

significant relationship with secure attachment style and significant negative relationship

with avoidant and ambivalent styles

2.3.2 Emotional intelligence and marital infidelity

Marriage is naturally rich in emotion and excitement, and marital happiness is related

to identification ability, understanding and true perception of oneself and others.In general,

42
satisfaction with marital relationship is the outcome of a combination ofpositive and

negative emotions which is experienced by couples in common (Amir, Seyed, Hamidreza, &

Hossein, 2016).

Hajihasani & Sim (2019) in a study investigated the role of marital satisfaction

withemotional intelligence in newlywed women in Iran. In this study total of 194

newlywedwomen were included and their marital satisfaction score, religious orientation

score, and EIscore were collected. Marital satisfaction and EI showed a significant

association. This studyreported that EI can predict marital satisfaction among women. This

study thus pointed outthat understanding factors associated with marital satisfaction can

significantly improve theamount of marital satisfaction among newlywed early married

women in Iran (Hajihasani &Sim, 2019). If emotional intelligence can predict marital

satisfaction, it is also expected to predict marital infidelity and/or showing a way of escape

from marital infidelity.

Therefore, emotional intelligence and its components have positive significant

relationship with marital satisfaction.Amir, et al., (2016) submits current trends of marriage

and divorce indicate the importance of emotional intelligence

2.3.3 Emotional intelligence and attachment styles

Attachment theory is one of the primary conceptual frameworks for understanding emotion

regulation. There is a well‐established link in the literature between secure romantic

attachment style and emotional intelligence (EI) in scientific studies (Heidari, & Kumar,

2021).Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to

another person across time and space (Ainsworth, 1973: Bowlby, 1969)

43
Longitudinal research has also documented connections between an individual’s early

attachment pattern (being classified as secure or insecure in the Strange Situation at age one)

in relation to the mother and emotions experienced and expressed with a romantic partner 20

years later. More securely attached individuals, for instance, typically experience more

intense and mild positive emotions in their romantic relationships and fewer intense and

mild negative emotions, whereas the reverse is true of more insecurely attached persons

(Pronin, & Olivola, 2023).

Amir et al., (2016) in their work on “Relationship of Attachment Styles and Emotional

Intelligence with Marital Satisfaction” observed thatavoidant attachment style and

ambivalent attachment style have negative significant relationship with marital satisfaction.

They also discovered that attachment styles can significantly predict marital satisfaction, and

therefore state that emotional intelligence and its components have positive significant

relationship with marital satisfaction; thus, emotional intelligence and intrapersonal,

adaptability and general mood components can significantly predict marital satisfaction.

Based on the result they obtained from their research they concluded that attachment styles

and emotional intelligence are the key factors in marital satisfaction that decrease marital

disagreement and increase the positive interactions of the couples (Amir, Seyed, Hamidreza,

& Hossein, 2016).

On the other hand, Abbasi, et al, (2016) carried a research to know how emotional

intelligence and attachment styles relate with marital satisfaction and the results of the

research showed that attachment styles can significantly predict marital satisfaction.

Furthermore, marital satisfaction had positive significant relationship with secure attachment

style and significant negative relationship with avoidant and ambivalent styles. According to

44
the obtained results, attachment styles and emotional intelligence are the key factors in

marital satisfaction that decrease marital disagreement and increase the positive interactions

of the couples (Abbasi, Tabatabaaei, Sharbaf, & Karshki, 2016).

2.4 Summary of Literature Review

This chapter reviewed relevant literature under the three broad headings of the

conceptual review, theoretical review and empirical review. The conceptual review dealt

with the discussion on the key variables in this study. These key variables are, attachment

insecurity, emotional intelligence, and marital infidelity. These variables were discussed

exhaustively including their definitions by different schools. Attachment on its own was

seen as a clinical term used to describe a lasting psychological connectedness between

human beings. In particular, attachment theory highlights the importance of a child’s

emotional bond with their primary caregivers. Disruption to or loss of this bond can affect a

child emotionally and psychologically into adulthood, and have an impact on their future

relationships. On the other hand,emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to perceive,

interpret, demonstrate, control, and use emotions to communicate with and relate to others

effectively and constructively. It is equally seen as an ability of a person to monitor his/her

own and others’ emotions. While attachment insecurity was seen as a poor or negative way

of building a lasting psychological connectedness between human beings which results in

lack of trust and a lack of a secure base. People with an insecure style may behave in

anxious, ambivalent, or unpredictable ways. Maritalinfidelity is defined as a sexual and/or

emotional act by a person who is in a marital relationship, with this act occurring outside the

marital relationship and constituting a breach of trust and/or violation of the rules agreed by

the couple, by one or both individuals in marital relationship.

45
The literature review also centered on the review of related theories that were discussed in

relation to the topic of this research. Bar-On’s EI model posits that emotional-social

intelligence involves a connection of interrelated emotional and social competencies, which

tend to determine how we understand and express ourselves, how we understand others, how

we relate with people around us, and how we cope with daily emotional challenges. Mayer,

Salovey and Caruso’s EI Ability Model/theory suggests that information from the perceived

understanding of emotions and managing emotions is used to facilitate thinking and guide

our decision making. This EI framework emphasizes the four-branch model of EI.

Goleman’s EI Performance Model/theory defines EI as a cluster of skills and competencies,

which are focused on four capabilities: self-awareness, relationship management, and social

awareness. Trait Emotional Intelligence (Trait EI) theory posits that EI was to be a traits,

meaning that it is inherent. Attachment theories discussed in this work are anxious

(or preoccupied; referred to as anxious ambivalent in children), avoidant (or dismissive;

referred to as anxious avoidant in children), and disorganized (referred to as fearful-avoidant

in children). It was also observed that some people get involved in marital infidelity for

some reasons like, culture, lack of love and affection, lack of commitment, lack of maturity

and discipline, lack of secure attachment or emotional bond, unhappiness and

dissatisfaction, lack of sex, feeling unappreciated, lack of behavioural, cognitive and

relationship boundaries, boredom, body imaging/ageing, etc.

Lastly, there was a review of previous empirical studies on the related topics. Several studies

were considered as they relate to attachment insecurity and emotional intelligence on marital

infidelity.

2.5 Hypothesis

46
 The following hypothesis were formulated:

I. Attachment insecurity will significantly predict marital infidelityamong residents in Makurdi

metropolis, Benue state.

II. Emotional intelligence will significantly predict marital infidelity among residents in

Makurdi metropolis, Benue state.

III. Attachment insecurity and emotional intelligence will significantly predict marital infidelity

among residents in Makurdi metropolis, Benue state.

CHAPTER THREE

METHOD

This chapter deals with the method the researcher adopted in conducting this

research. It specifically presents the research design, setting, participants and sampling. The

47
chapter equally discusses the instruments for data collection, procedure of administration of

the instruments, as well as the method for data analysis.

3.1 Design

This study employed a cross-sectional survey design to investigate the influence of

attachment insecurity and emotional intelligence on marital infidelity in Makurdi metropolis

using questionnaires. Cross-sectional survey is an observational study that collects

information from respondents at a single period in timeusing questionnaire, snap-shots or

recorder. This type of design utilizes different groups of people who differ in the variable

interest. This type of design is appropriate because it allows the researcher to compare many

variables at the same time. The independent variables for this study are “attachment

insecurity” and “emotional intelligence” while the dependent variable is marital infidelity.

3.2 Setting

This study was carried out in Makudi metropolis, Benue state. Makurdi is the capital town of

Benue state with a projected population figure of about three million, four hundred and sixty

four thousand, six hundred and fourty eight (438,000000) people as of 2022 (NPC, 2022).

Majority of the inhabitants of the town are Tivs.There are other tribes like the Idomas,

Igedes, Etilos, and other non-indigenes like the Igbos, Yorubas, Hausas and others. It has a

concentration of government ministries, departments, agencies and parastatals. The city has

both married and unmarried people as residents but the study focuses only on married

couples. Makurdi town can be reached basically through land transport.

3.3 Participants

The participants for this study were 255 married couples from four (4) selected churches in
Makurdi metropolis to represent the population out of which 123 (52.1)were female and
113 representing 47% were male. The participants’ age ranged from twenty (20) to fifty (50)

48
and above. The participants ethnicity were sampled and 128 representing 54.2% were from
the Tiv speaking tribe, 55 representing 23.3% were Idoma speaking tribe, Igede speaking
tribe had 25 representing 10.6%,while other tribes had 28 persons representing 11.9% of the
sample. Out of the entire sample population, 128 representing 54.2% are married and
staying married, 41 representing 17.4% are divorced, 41 representing 17.4% are separated
while 26 representing 11% are widowed, their duration of marriage ranges from 0-30 years
and above.
3.4 Sampling

In other to obtain participants for the study, purposive sampling was used. Purposive

sampling is a procedure in which the researcher identifies individuals who are considered to

be typical of the population and selects them as the sample. This means that in this study, the

researcher concentrated only married couples in Makurdi metropolis.

3.4.1 Sample Size Determination

The sample size was determined based on the number of couples in the four selected

churches to represent the entire couples in Makurdi metropolis. Below is the names of the

selected churches and the number of couples in them.

Total number of couples in the selected churches are 697. The selected churches are,

Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA 1) barracks road, Christian Pentecostal Mission

International (CPM) Northbank, Living Faith Church (LFC) Makurdi Central, and Roman

Catholic Church (Catholic Youth Centre) George Akume Way.

Church Number of couples

ECWA 55

CPM 50

LFC 345

RCM 247

Total 697

49
The sample size for this study was determined using Tan Yamane’s (1967), formular for

determining an unknown population which is mathematically defined as:

n= N/1+N(e)2

Where:

n = Sample size

N = Population size estimated

e = Level of precision or sampling error, which is +/-5% (0.05)

1 = constant

The population of married couples in Makurdi represented by the four selected

churches is six hundred and ninety seven (697).

n= 697/ 1 + 697(0.05)2

n= 697/ 1 + 697 (0.0025)

n= 697/ 1+ 1.7425

n= 697/ 2.7425

n= 254.148

n = 255

3.5 Instrument

Questionnaires were used as the instrument for data collection. It was divided into

four sections with the first section which is “A” centering on demographic information such

as age, gender, educational qualification, religion and ethnicity. Section “B” is the

attachment scale. Section “C” is the emotional intelligence scale, while section “D” is the

attitude towards infidelity scale.

50
1. Revised Adult Attachment Scale: This study adopted Revised Adult Attachment

Scale developed by Collins (1996). The scale contains three (3) subscales, and each subscale

composed of six (6) items. The three (3) subscales are CLOSE, DEPEND, and ANXIETY.

The CLOSE subscale measures the extent to which a person is comfortable with closeness

and intimacy and this contains items 1, 6, 8, 12, 13, and 17. The DEPEND subscale

measures the extent to which a person feels he/she can depend on others to be available

when needed and it contains items 2, 5, 7, 14, 16, and 18. The ANXIETY subscale measures

the extent to which a person is worried about being rejected or unloved and it is made up of

items 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, and 15. It has a total of eighteen (18) items scored on a scale from 1 to

5 (1- not at all characteristic of me, 5- very characteristic of me). Items 2, 7, 8, 12, 13, 16,

17, and 18 are reversed. This scale has also demonstrated acceptable internal consistency,

with a Cronbach’s alpha value ranging from .72 to .79 with an internal reliability of .79.

2. Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT): Thisis a method of

measuring general Emotional Intelligence (EI), using four sub-scales: emotion perception,

utilizing emotions, managing self- relevant emotions, and managing others’ emotions. The

SSEIT was developed by Schutte et al. (1998). The SSEIT includes a 33-item self-report

using the five-point responsescale, on which 1 represented “strongly disagree”, 2

represented “disagree”, 3 represented “neither disagree noragree”, 4 represented “agree” and

5 represented “strongly agree,” to indicate the extent each item described them. Schutte and

her colleges report a reliability rating of .90 for their emotional intelligence scale with

Cronbach’s Alpha of .79.

3. Attitude Towards Infidelity Scale: This scale is developed by Whatley It includes 12

items, each indicates the negative and positive feelings towards the category of betrayal, to

51
which the subject gives a score from 1 to 7 based on their feelings. In the betrayal

questionnaire, the amount of desire and acceptance or rejection from the perspective of

different people is measured. The highest and lowest scores were 84 and 12, indicating

acceptance and rejection of betrayal. In the study conducted by Whatley (2006), he

demonstrated a good reliability and validity of the scale. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients

and internal consistency were assessed .80 in his study.

3. 6 Procedure

The researcher adhered to ethical rules of a research. After introducing himself and the

purpose of the questionnaire to the participants,a copy of the questionnaire was presented to

each of them which was accepted by some while some person persons didn’t accept.Those

who accepted to participate were given questionnaire which they filled and returned to the

researcher on the spot or at a particular period of time.

3.7 Data Analysis

The data for this study were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The

descriptive statistics involving frequencies, percentages, mean, and standard deviation were

used to summarize respondents’ demographic information. On the other hand, inferential

statistics involving the Simple Linear and Multiple Regression Analysis were used to test the

hypothesis via the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).

52
 CHAPTER FOUR
RESULTS
This chapter presents results of the analysis that was performed from the data

collected. The data were analyzed to test the hypotheses of this study and the results

obtained are presented in this chapter

Hypotheses one stated that attachment insecurity will significantly predict marital infidelity

among residents in Makurdi Metropolis. This hypothesis was tested using multiple linear

regressions and the results is presented in table1.

53
Table 1: Simple linear regression showing the prediction of marital infidelity by
attachment insecurity among residents in Makurdi Metropolis.

Predictor Variables R R2 df F β t P

Constant .646 .418 1,222 158.486 7.295 .000

Attachment insecurity .646 12.589 .000

The result in Table 1 shows that attachment insecurity significantly predicted marital fidelity

among residents in Makurdi metropolis [R = .646, R 2 = .418, [F (1, 222) = 7.295, P< .01].

Further observation shows that attachment insecurity accounted for 41.8% of the variance in

marital fidelity among residents in Makurdi metropolis. Based on this findings, hypothesis

one was accepted

Hypotheses two stated that emotional intelligence will significantly predict marital fidelity

among residents in Makurdi Metropolis. This hypothesis was tested using multiple linear

regression the results is presented in Table 2

Table 2: Simple linear regression showing the prediction of marital infidelity by

emotional intelligence among residents in Makurdi Metropolis.

Predictor Variables R R2 df F β t P

Constant .127 .016 2,218 3.584 7.295 .000

Emotional intelligence .127 1.893 .060

54
The result in Table 1 shows that emotional intelligence did not significantly predict marital

fidelity among residents in Makurdi metropolis [R = .127, R2 = .016, [F (1, 218) = 3.584, P>

.05]. Based on this findings, hypothesis two was rejected

Hypothesis three stated that attachment insecurity and emotional intelligence will

significantly and jointly predict marital fidelity among residents in Makurdi metropolis. This

hypothesis was tested using multiple linear regression and the result is presented in Table 3.

Table 3: Multiple linear regression showing the prediction of marital infidelity by

emotional intelligence and attachment insecurity among residents in Makurdi
Metropolis.

Predictor Variables R R2 df F β t P

Constant .642 .412 2,218 75.733 7.295 .000

Attachment insecurity .646 12.589 .000

Emotional intelligence -.065 -1.185 .237

The result in Table 3 shows that attachment insecurity and emotional intelligence

significantly predicted marital fidelity among residents in Makurdi metropolis [R = .642, R 2

= .412, [F (2, 218) = 75.733, P< .01]. Further observation shows that attachment insecurity

and emotional intelligence jointly accounted for 41.2% of the variance in marital fidelity

among residents in Makurdi metropolis. Based on this findings, hypothesis three was

accepted.

CHAPTER FIVE

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

55
 In the previous chapter, data were collected from the participants and analyzed using

appropriate statistical tools and the results were presented. This chapter of the study presents

the discussion of the findings, conclusion drawn based on the findings, recommendations as

well as limitations encountered in the course of carrying out the study.

5.1 Discussion of Findings

Hypothesis one stated that; Attachment insecurity will significantly predict marital infidelity

among residents in Makurdi metropolis, Benue state. The result showed that attachment

insecurity significantly predicted marital infidelity among residents in Makurdi metropolis.

This implies that people who have attachment issues should first of all work on themselves

before going into any marital relationship in order to avoid infidelity issues in their

marriages. Secure attachment styles enhances marital fidelity.Cherry (2022),demonstrated

that attachment insecurity was positively associated with infidelity in marriage.

It has been observed by researchers that secure attachment style has positive significant

relationship with marital satisfaction, also avoidant attachment style and ambivalent

attachment style have negative significant relationship with marital satisfaction and

attachment styles can significantly predict marital satisfaction (Amir, Seyed, Hamidreza,&

Hossein, 2016) meaning that when the styles are insecure it can predict marital infidelity

while secure attachment can bring marital satisfaction.

As adults, those who are securely attached tend to have to trust, long-term relationships. As

adults, those with an ambivalent attachment style often feel reluctant about becoming close

56
to others and worry that their partner does not reciprocate their feelings. This leads to

frequent breakups, and even infidelity in marriage, often because the relationship feels cold

and distant (Cherry, 2022).

Simpson & Rhole (2017) add that as adults, those with an avoidant attachment (which is an

insecure attachment style) tend to have difficulty with intimacy and close relationships.

These individuals do not invest much emotion in relationships and experience little distress

when a relationship ends. Going further he observed that adults with an avoidant attachment

style are more accepting and likely to engage in casual sex (sexual infidelity). Other

common characteristics include a failure to support partners during stressful times and an

inability to share feelings, thoughts, and emotions with partners (Simpson & Rhole, 2017).

Attachment styles can be secure or insecure and in any of the ways they play a significant

role in the couples’ attitudes. Attachment isconsidered as a special emotional relationship

that requires calm and exchange of pleasure-care which includes three safe insecure,

avoidant insecure and anxiety insecure styles. More accurately, attachment is the deep

emotional connection we make with certain people in our lives that makes us feel cheerful

and happy when interacting with them, and feel comfortable having them with us when we

are stressed (Soltanzadeh, 2021).

Hypotheses two stated that emotional intelligence will significantly predict marital infidelity

among residents in Makurdi Metropolis.

The result of the test revealed that emotional intelligence did not significantly predict marital

infidelity among residents in Makurdi Metropolis. With this result, hypothesis two was

rejected. This result equally agrees with Amir, Seyed, Hamidreza,& Hossein (2016) who

57
observed that marriage is naturally rich in emotion and excitement, and marital happiness is

related to identification ability, understanding and true perception of oneself and others. In

general, satisfaction with marital relationship is the outcome of a combination of positive

and negative emotions which is experienced by couples in common.Heidari,& Kumar

(2021), believe that emotional intelligence or at least some of its aspects can enrich a

marriage with satisfaction and adaptation. He believes that ability to understand and accept

other side emotions and thoughts in marital life can result in satisfaction. In fact, there is a

clear relationship between abilities, which comprise emotional intelligence, and abilities,

which are necessary for successful marital interactions and conversations.This means that to

avoid marital infidelity, couples need the knowledge of emotional intelligence because it

aids in understanding oneself and others too.

Hypothesis three stated that attachment insecurity and emotional intelligence will

significantly and jointly predict marital fidelity among residents in Makurdi metropolis. This

hypothesis was tested using multiple linear regression and the result shows that attachment

insecurity and emotional intelligence significantly predicted marital infidelity among

residents in Makurdi metropolis. According to Amir, Seyed, Hamidreza,& Hossein (2016),

attachment styles and emotional intelligence are the key factors in marital satisfaction that

decrease marital disagreement and increase the positive interactions of the couples. Decrees

in emotional intelligence or its lack in any of the couple can lead to marital infidelity.Also

current trends of marriage and divorce indicate the importance of emotional

intelligence.Marriage is naturally rich in emotion and excitement, and marital happiness is

related to identification ability, understanding and true perception of oneself and others. In

58
general, marital infidelityis the outcome negative emotions and insecure attachments which

is experienced by couples in common.

5.2 Conclusion

This study investigated the influence of attachment insecurity, emotional intelligence

on marital infidelity in Makurdi metropolis. Three hypotheses were stated and tested. The

result accepted two and rejected one of the hypotheses. From the findings of the study, it is

concluded that;

i. There is a statistically significant influence of attachment insecurity on marital

infidelity in Makurdi metropolis.

ii. There is no statistically significant influence of emotional intelligence on marital

infidelity in Makurdi metropolis.

iii. There is a statistically significant influence of attachment insecurity and

emotional intelligence on marital infidelity in Makurdi metropolis.

5.3 Recommendation

Based on the findings obtained and discussed above, the following recommendations are

made:

i. It is recommended to provide consultancy for couples before marriage to reduce

high risk marriages and prevent insecure individuals’ marriage; insecure

individuals should be identified and treated by psychologists to have happier

marriages, prevent incompatibilities and thereby eliminate many family

problems.

59
 ii. Since attachment styles are formed in childhood, parent-child communications

should not be ignored because they affect adulthood communications. Therefore,

parents should receive psychological advice during their children’s development

to become more aware of their children’s behavior.

iii. Emotional intelligence should be seen as a core course to attend by every

intending couple to enable them know their emotions as well as those of their

spouses since marriage is naturally rich in emotion.

5.4 Limitations

There were some setbacks encountered in the course of carrying out this research. They

include the fact that the data for the study were drawn only from four churches representing

the entire Makurdi metropolis. So, it is not generalized to all couples across Nigeria.

Secondly, to convince some married couples to participate was such a herculean task. So

many couples were so reluctant and so many did not want to participate in the study. Time

frame and financial constraints also served as limitations to this research.

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3.

APPENDIX A

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 LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

Department of Psychology,
Faculty of Social Sciences,
Benue State University,
Makurdi.

Dear respondent,

REQUEST TO COMPLETE THE ATTACHED QUESTIONNAIRE

I am an undergraduate student of the above named institution. I am currently

undertaking a research on the topic, “Attachment Insecurity, Emotional Intelligence as

Correlates of Marital Infidelity in Makurdi Metropolis.

Attached is a questionnaire aimed at collecting the data that will enable me complete

the research work. Thus, I solicit your kind and objective response as you complete the

questionnaire. Furthermore, the information you shall give will be used only for the purpose

of the research and such information shall be treated with utmost confidentiality.

Thanks for your anticipated cooperation.

Nwachukwu Chigozirim

APPENDIX B

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 QUESTIONNAIRE

SECTION A: Demographic information

Instruction: Please tick (  ) where appropriate.

1. Sex: ( ) Male ( ) female

2. Age (in years): (i) ≤20 ( ) (ii) 21-30 ( ) (iii) 31-40 ( ) (iv) 41-50 ( ) (v) 51+ ( )

3. Religion: (i) Christianity ( ) (ii) Islam ( ) (iii) Traditional ( ) (iv) Others (specify)---

4. Ethnicity: (i) Tiv ( ) (ii) Idoma ( ) (iii) Igede ( ) (iv) Others (specify)----------

5. Marital Status: (i) Married ( ) (ii) Divorced ( ) (iii) Separated ( ) (iv) Widowed ( )

6. Duration of marriage: (i) 0-9 ( ) (ii) 10-19 ( ) (iii) 20-29 ( ) (iv) 30+ ( )

SECTION B:Revised Adult Attachment ScaleInstruction: Use the following response

scale to answer the following questions1 = Not at all characteristic of me, 2 = not very

characteristic of me, 3 = sometimes characteristic of me, 4 = characteristic of me, 5 = very

characteristic of me.

S/NO ITEMS 1 2 3 4 5
1 I find it relatively easy to get close to people.
2 I find it difficult to allow myself to depend on others.
3 I often worry that other people don't really love me.
4 I find that others are reluctant to get as close as I would like.
5 I am comfortable depending on others.
6 I don’t worry about people getting too close to me.
7 I find that people are never there when you need them.
8 I am somewhat uncomfortable being close to others.
9 I often worry that other people won’t want to stay with me.
10 When I show my feelings for others, I'm afraid they will not feel same about
me.
11 I often wonder whether other people really care about me.
12 I am comfortable developing close relationships with others.
13 I am uncomfortable when anyone gets too emotionally close to me.
14 I know that people will be there when I need them.
15 I want to get close to people, but I worry about being hurt.
16 I find it difficult to trust others completely.
17 People often want me to be emotionally closer than I feel comfortable being.
18 I am not sure that I can always depend on people to be there when I need them.

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 SECTION C:Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT)
Instruction: Use the following response scale to answer the following questions
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neither disagree nor agree, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly
agree

S/No Items 1 2 3 4 5
1 I know when to speak about my personal problems to others
2 When I am faced with obstacles, I remember times I faced similar
obstacles and overcame them
3 I expect that I will do well on most things I try
4 Other people find it easy to confide in me
5 I find it hard to understand the non-verbal messages of other people
6 Some of the major events of my life have led me to re-evaluate what is
important and not important
7 When my mood changes, I see new possibilities
8 Emotions are one of the things that make my life worth living
9 I am aware of my emotions as I experience them
10 I expect good things to happen
11 I like to share my emotions with others
12 When I experience a positive emotion, I know how to make it last
13 I arrange events others enjoy
14 I seek out activities that make me happy
15 I am aware of the non-verbal messages I send to others
16 I present myself in a way that makes a good impression on others
17 When I am in a positive mood, solving problems is easy for me
18 By looking at their facial expressions, I recognize the emotions people
are experiencing
19 I know why my emotions change
20 When I am in a positive mood, I am able to come up with new ideas

21 I have control over my emotions

22 I easily recognize my emotions as I experience them
23 I motivate myself by imagining a good outcome to tasks I take on
24 I compliment others when they have done something well
25 I am aware of the non-verbal messages other people send

26 When another person tells me about an important event in his or her life,
I almost feel as though I have experienced this event myself

27 When I feel a change in emotions, I tend to come up with new ideas

28 When I am faced with a challenge, I give up because I believe I will fail
29 I know what other people are feeling just by looking at them

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30 I help other people feel better when they are down

31 I use good moods to help myself keep trying in the face of obstacle

32 I can tell how people are feeling by listening to the tone of their voice

33 It is difficult for me to understand why people feel the way they do

SECTION D: Attitude Towards Infidelity Scale

Instruction: Use the following response scale to answer the following questions
1 = strongly disagree, 2 = disagree, 3 = neither disagree nor agree, 4 = agree, 5 = strongly
agree.
S/NO ITEMS 1 2 3 4 5
1 Being unfaithful never hurt anyone
2 Infidelity in marital relationship is grounds for divorce.
3 Infidelity is acceptable for retaliation of infidelity
4 It is natural for people to be unfaithful
5 Online/internet behavior(e.g., sex, chatrooms, porn sites) is an act of infidelity
6 Infidelity is morally wrong in all circumstances regardless of the situation
7 Being unfaithful in a relationship is one of the most dishonorable things I can do
8 Infidelity is unacceptable under any circumstances if the couple is married
9 I would not mind if my significant order had an affair as long as I did not know about it
10 It would be acceptable for me to have an affair, but not my significant order
11 I would have an affair if I knew my significant order would never find out
12 If I knew my significant order was guilty of infidelity, I would confront him/her

71