Gender Differences in Covert Fidelity Management among Dating Individuals in China

This study examined gender differences in covert fidelity management among dating individuals in China. Fidelity management
refers to tactics and behaviors people use to monitor their partners’ fidelity. Two hundred and thirty two young adults (18–26 years
old, M = 23.44, SD = 1.93) primarily from the cities of Beijing, Wuhan, Dalian, and Guangzhou in mainland China completed a questionnaire designed
to measure self-esteem, trust, peer influence, relationship satisfaction and covert fidelity management. Consistent with our
hypothesis, women were found to engage in more covert fidelity management than men. Regression results revealed that for both
women and men, trust and peer influence were significant predictors of covert fidelity management behavior. However, self-esteem
was a significant predictor of men’s covert fidelity management, not women’s. Furthermore, covert fidelity management was
found not related to women’s relationship satisfaction, but was significantly associated with men’s satisfaction in a negative
direction. These findings have interesting implications for understanding romantic partners’ behaviors in infidelity-related
situations.