According to statistics, most women have a sort of Plan B—a man “in reserve.” And you, of course, could also be at risk.
Men tend to get a bad reputation when it comes to infidelity. But a new study of 1,000 British women has revealed some surprising results. It turns out that half of the women surveyed have a backup partner in mind—they chose him or her when their current relationship started to falter. Yes, that's right: exactly 50 percent. Married men, this really can happen to you. Single men, maybe one of you is that backup plan?
Researchers have found that married women are much more likely to have a man “in reserve” than women in relationships but not yet married. Are you curious about who your potential replacement might be?
The most likely candidates are old friends who may have once been in love with your woman, as well as her exes (both men and husbands), colleagues, and even someone she met by chance at the gym. Research has shown that the most common “Plan B” role is played by someone who has known your significant other for years and who always takes a wait-and-see approach, as they still share “unfinished business.”
But that's not all.
According to the survey results, one in four women with a “backup” man feels almost as strongly about their “Plan B” as they do about their significant other. Twelve percent of respondents admitted that their feelings for another man were even stronger. And then there's the saddest part: seven out of ten women admitted to currently secretly dating a backup man.
It would seem things couldn't get any worse. But no: one in four women admitted that their current man is dating a backup; one in five said that this backup is a friend of their boyfriend. Approximately 50% of women surveyed said their significant other knows about a third partner. And one in six is “seriously considering” resuming or starting a relationship with their “Plan B” (which is increasingly looking like Plan A).
What's the reason for this dismal state of affairs? According to the study's authors, social media is to blame: “Today, staying in touch with ex-lovers has become easier than ever. Men want to know about all those 'old friends' who can appear out of nowhere, like a bolt from the blue.”