Men are more likely to have an affair – but it’s not their fault.

Men have stronger sexual impulses (rather than just lacking self-control) which lead to more encounters.

Experts at the University of Texas and Texas AM university found dwelling on a possible sexual relationship with an ‘off-limits’ person increased sexual urges more in men than in women.

Men were more likely to act on those impulses.

‘Overall, these studies suggest that men are more likely to give in to sexual temptations because they tend to have stronger sexual impulse strength than women do,’ said Natasha Tidwell, a doctoral student in the department of psychology at Texas AM.

‘But when people exercise self-control in a given situation, this sex difference in behavior is greatly reduced. It makes sense that self-control, which has relatively recent evolutionary origins compared to sexual impulses, would work similarly – and as effectively – for both men and women.’

The study, which is said to provide new insight into humans’ evolutionary origins, has been published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.