Despite the near-universal agreement that cheating is a shitty thing to do, it still happens. But what does science have to say about one of the shittier human impulses? Apparently, quite a lot.

TikToker onlyjayus, aka Bella, recently shared some facts about cheating that are backed up by science. For example, did you know that cheating happens in every third relationship? Allegedly, that is — as the BBC points out, researchers are hesitant to rely on the confessions of cheaters who have already demonstrated that their relationship with the truth is tenuous at best. Some estimate that as many as 75 percent of men and 68 percent of women have cheated, while 90 percent of people surveyed view it as immoral and 65 percent view it as unforgivable. If those numbers are to be believed, plenty of people cheat while believing it’s immoral. Cognitive dissonance, baby!

@onlyjayus cheating science ‍ #fyp #cheating #cheatinginrelationships #relationship #datingadvice #didyouknow #learnontiktok #edutok #onlyjayus ♬ original sound - actuallyitsbella

According to Bella, the number one reason given for cheating is no reason at all. A 2021 study suggests that the reasons are more complex than that, however, revealing eight key reasons people cheat: anger, self-esteem, lack of love, low commitment, need for variety, neglect, sexual desire and situation or circumstance.

Bella goes on to share that Gen Z is the generation most likely to cheat, although she admits that this could simply be because they’re young. The only source for a claim similar to this that I could find is a Newsweek poll that revealed zoomers were slightly more likely to believe that a relationship needs to be physical to constitute cheating.

The next fact shared in the video is the most accurate: That if someone has cheated before, they’re more likely to do so again — three times more likely, in fact. Not only that, but a person is two to four times more likely to be cheated on again if they’ve been cheated on in the past, which seems incredibly unfair and cruel.

The last fact isn’t particularly groundbreaking; Bella shares that how intimate your partner is with you can be a sign of cheating. Not just if they’re suddenly being less intimate with you since they’re finding intimacy elsewhere, no; if they’re suddenly being more intimate with you, it can be a red flag since they feel the need to overcompensate. There are a number of reasons intimacy levels fluctuate in a relationship, however, so don’t start panicking based on that alone.

They could have just fallen out of love with you without cheating. Isn’t that a comforting thought?