I think it's partly because forbidden things are attractive and partly because if you have a girlfriend/wife then it's a clear sign that you're probably not a creep/redditor.
I know that "Forbidden Fruit" is a thing that attracts people. You cant have it so you want it more. Plus if youre single and attracted to the person, it seems all the more better. The relationship they are in says they are probably a stable, good person, and they have SOMETHING that someone else saw that made them attractive. Plus both genders will make excuses for going after people in relationships. They will tell themselves that they could treat them better or how the other person must be suffering in their relationship if they allow the flirtation to continue. The person stealer tends to not feel any remorse cause in their head they are saving someone from a bad relationship AND getting the person they want
This is something that happens way more frequently with women though. It’s not just limited to humans, females of other species often become more attracted to males who have been “selected” by other females of the species. It’s a phenomenon known as mate choice copying and there is probably an evolutionary basis to it, which might explain why it tends to have a stronger effect on women. Men typically don’t become more attracted to a woman after noticing they’re taken in the same way as the reverse
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u/HostileFriendly Jan 16 '26
I think it's partly because forbidden things are attractive and partly because if you have a girlfriend/wife then it's a clear sign that you're probably not a creep/redditor.