The Role of Motivational Structure and Executive Function in Attractive Alternative Temptations

It is hard to ignore attractive people. Paying attention to attractive individuals is a criterion that can estimate further motivation to make extramarital relationships. This whitethorn a threat to the stability of the marital relationship. The present study aimed to investigate the role of motivational and cognitive structure in the temptation to pay attention and communicate with attractive alternatives in married individuals.

With an available sampling method, the statistical population of the present study has consisted of married men and women who completed research questionnaires in an online design. That is, two hundred individuals met the research criteria and completed the questionnaires and the results were based on hierarchical multiple regression.

The results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that among the covariate variables, gender was able to predict extramarital relationships. However, men were more inclined than women to be tempted by attractive alternatives and engage in extramarital affairs. In addition, the variables such as memory, inhibitory control, planning, and adaptive motivation provided a significant prediction of the temptation variable of extramarital relationships.

Based on the results of the present study, it appears that improving cognitive abilities (e.g., executive functions) and motivational structure, improve the degree of resistance to the temptations to make extramarital relationships with attractive alternatives.