Most Americans say monogamy is natural

May 06, 2014, 12:57 PM GMT+0

Most Americans say that monogamy is natural for humans, but there is a signficant age gap on whether or not men find it harder to be faithful

For people looking to stray outside of their marriages or partnerships, it has never been easier to cheat. Controversial internet dating sites - such as Ashley Madison - exist specifically for otherwise attached people to find a bit of fun on the side. Monogamy may be the norm in American society, but other countries take a more open view. Kenya recently passed a law legalizing polygamy, while France, unsurprisingly, was recently discovered to be the only country where most people don't think that affairs are morally unacceptable.

The latest research from YouGov shows that, for most Americans (54%), monogamy is the natural state of things, though 28% say that humans aren't naturally meant to be faithful to only one person. Interestingly, differences of opinion on this issue diverge the most according to political belief, with Democrats (36%) being more than twice as likely as Republicans (16%) to say that monogamy isn't natural. Even the split between men and women is less dramatic, with 45% of men saying monogamy is natural, compared to 62% of women.

On the whole, Americans aren't sure whether men find it harder than women to be faithful. 40% say that men find it harder, while 50% say that men and women find it equally hard. This differs significantly according to age, however, with under-30s generally thinking that it is equally difficult for men and women (64%). The older someone is, the more likely they are to think that men are more inclined to infidelity, with 60% of over-65s stating that compared to 34% who think that men and women are equally prone to straying.

Full poll results can be found here.

Image: Getty

Join YouGov today! Your views can shape the news...