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Who the other person is can influence how betrayal is experienced.
Research on romantic jealousy suggests that the characteristics and social position of a rival can affect the perceived threat.
A familiar rival may create an additional problem because she exists within the betrayed woman's own social environment.
That can make avoiding reminders of the betrayal more difficult.
It can also potentially damage two relationships at once—the romantic relationship and a friendship or social connection.
So discovering “he cheated” and discovering “he cheated with someone close to me” may represent psychologically different betrayals.
© Journal of Social and Personal Relationships