Adultery: An Analysis of Love and Betrayal, 1920-1983

UKDA study number:4858

Principal Investigator

Lawson, A.
Brunel University

Distributed by

UK Data Archive, University of Essex, Colchester.

November 2004

Bibliographic Citation

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Lawson, A., Adultery: An Analysis of Love and Betrayal, 1920-1983 [computer file]. Colchester, Essex: UK Data Archive [distributor], November 2004. SN: 4858 , http://dx.doi.org/10.5255/UKDA-SN-4858-2

Acknowledgement

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Copyright:
Dr. Annette Lawson

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4858 . Adultery: An Analysis of Love and Betrayal, 1920-1983
(Adultery)

Depositor:

Lawson, A. , Brunel University

Principal Investigator:

Lawson, A. , Brunel University

Abstract:

This study is available via the UK Data Service QualiBank, an online tool for browsing, searching and citing the content of selected qualitative data collections held at the UK Data Service.

This qualitative study is a detailed examination of the views, motivations and experiences of respondents involved in, or affected by, extra-marital affairs. What stories do people tell about their extra-marital affairs and what does this mean to them and to others? What are the cultural myths surrounding the concept of romantic love? What “counts” as adultery, and what implications does it have for relations of power and control within or outside of a marriage? What does loyalty and betrayal mean in a relationship?

In the initial stages of this project in the early 1980s, Lawson gave several interviews about adultery to various newspapers and one radio station, through which she invited letters of response from readers. The response was unexpectedly overwhelming receiving 579 replies. These letters often took the form of very personal accounts of adulterous affairs and their individual consequences. Two thirds of the replies came from women and the remainder of the sample was either from men or couples who wrote a joint letter. The sample was mainly middle-class women and men, aged between 22 and 83 years old, either married or involved in long-term live-in relationships. Given this distribution she sampled all the men, all the couples and one in three of the women.

A postal survey was sent to all those who had replied and then this was followed up with in-depth tape recorded interviews and small-group discussions with about 100 respondents.

The collection includes 364 questionnaires, 67 audio-cassette recordings, 34 interviews and group discussion transcripts, and related documentation including selected additional transcribed quotes, letters, newspaper clippings, correspondence, notes and draft conference papers.

Main Topics:

Adultery; marriage; families; gender; extra-marital sex; sexual partnerships; sexual behaviour; love; jealousy; excitement; divorce; marital separation; moral behaviour; moral values; religious belief; tolerance; interpersonal relations.

Coverage:

Time Period Covered: 1920 - 1983
Dates of Fieldwork: 1981 - 1983
Country: United Kingdom
Spatial Units: No spatial unit
Observation Units: Individuals; Groups; Couples
Kind of Data: Textual data; Individual (micro) level; structured interview questionnaires, in-depth/unstructured interview transcripts, group discussions, letters.

Universe Sampled:

Location of Units of Observation: National
Population: Men and women who responded to an advertisement in the national press.

Methodology:

Time Dimensions: Cross-sectional (one-time) study
Sampling Procedures: See documentation for details
Number of Units: 600
Method of Data Collection: Face-to-face interview; Postal survey
Weighting: Not applicable

Language(s) of Written Materials:

Study Description: English
Study Documentation: English

Access:

Access Conditions: The depositor has specified that registration is required and standard conditions of use apply. The depositor may be informed about usage. See terms and conditions for further information.
Availability: UK Data Service
External note:
Contact: Get in touch

Date of First Release:

26 November 2004

Copyright:

Dr. Annette Lawson

File last updated:

9 March 2015