Among married people in the United States, studies have consistently found that somewhere between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 folks say they have cheated before--and that's just the ones who are willing to admit it! This high prevalence of infidelity has led many scientists to wonder what's behind it. That is, why do so many people cheat? It turns out that the answer is complicated. There are numerous factors--biological, psychological, and social--that might predispose someone to committing infidelity.

In the video below, our friends over at ASAP Science break down some of the most fascinating research to date that can speak to the origins of cheating. Among other things, they consider the role that neurotransmitters, hormones, and money (specifically, differences in financial earnings among romantic partners) may play in explaining why some people are more likely to cheat than others. For a closer look at research on the origins of cheating (including whether there's any truth to the idea of "once a cheater, always a cheater"), check out this article.