Taking the good with the bad: Applying Klein's work to further our understandings of cyber-cheating

Although there is a paucity of research available on cyber-cheating and its effects on the offline couple, the current research available suggests that Internet relationships and online erotic interactions can have a ‘real’ impact on couples. This paper builds on the current research by exploring theoretical explanations for how individuals might rationalize their online affairs. Drawing from Klein's object-relations theory we suggest that while on one level individuals might perceive their online interactions to be ‘unreal’ and hence not ‘breaking the rules’ in respect to the offline relationship, on another level energy is being taken away from the relationship and given to another, which is indeed ‘breaking the rules.’