Attitudes of marriage partners towards adultery: cross-cultural analysis

The paper deals with the psychological analysis of the concept of adultery and describes its place in the system of social processes in modern society. The study presents the empirical research results derived from a semi-standardized interview, Motives for Marriage Questionnaire developed by the author and the Drawing of Adultery Projective Technique. A cross-cultural comparative analysis was conducted among Russian and Azerbaijani families who applied for professional psychological help as a result of the crisis of family relations caused by the adultery. The author identifies three approaches to understanding adultery among marriage partners: positive, negative, neutral (ambivalent) ones. Based on a comparative analysis of Russian and Azerbaijani couples, motives for marriage are described. Intrapersonal (psychological) and external (social) determinants of adultery are identified.