The term emotional affair is often used to downplay the significance of an affair, even though it can be more damaging than a physical one.

“I almost felt like her emphasizing over and over. It was an emotional affair if you want to call it that emotional affair. emotional is came across to me as her trying to like downplay the affair when like John was saying earlier to some people in some relationships potentially even my own marriage ”

Stigmatizing infidelity may increase the desire to act on forbidden behavior, whereas destigmatizing it can potentially reduce it.

“Would this argument mean that maybe one of the best ways to have less infidelity is to make it less stigmatized?”

An emotional affair is arguably more significant and hurtful than a sexual affair.

“I think I would be hurt more by an emotional affair. I think I think we're the opposite on that one.”