Polygraphs After Online Cheating:

Why Us to Get the Truth and Justice?

What Is Online Cheating? 

Online cheating comes in countless forms, whether it’s emotional intimacy, secret chats, sexting (or all of the above), and there’s a lot of grey area that comes along with it. What one person considers a harmless interaction between friends, another could believe to be outright betrayal. 

Is It Cheating Without Physical Contact?

One of the most common arguments in these scenarios is whether or not cheating can occur if there’s no physical touch involved. Where’s the line, and when has one crossed it? 

In a national survey comprised of over 2,000 U.S. adults, 76% believed a secret emotional relationship in real life constitutes infidelity, and 72% specified that an online secret relationship would also qualify as infidelity. 

These numbers increased in married participants in the same sample, reinforcing that there’s little difference regarding how or where the emotional connection takes place.

Additionally, a meta-analysis of over 300 studies found that:

• 23% of men and 14% of women admitted to engaging in intimate online behaviors
• 35% of men and 33% of women reported online emotional unfaithfulness 

Complicating things further is the fact that in many cases, people don’t realize or believe they’re cheating at all, dismissing it as harmless fun or innocent friendship.

This is why defining and addressing online cheating more directly isn’t just a technicality; it’s necessary to preserve emotional security and rebuild broken trust in relationships.

Bottom line: Cheating is defined by you and your partner(s). Consent is key.

Emotional Affair vs. Physical Affair

Cheating doesn’t look exactly the same for everyone. 

It’s also not the physical act that cuts the deepest in most cases, but the intimacy and secrecy that often precedes it. 

Emotional Affairs

There was a time when emotional affairs would be significantly more difficult to both maintain and keep secret. As a result, they were less common, easier to spot, and harder to hide. 

Even in the earlier days of initial internet use, online happenings were easier to dismiss as “not real life.” The explosion of online dating apps, advancements in mobile camera technology, and AI have made it substantially easier for emotional, digital affairs to materialize. 

Most emotional affairs start innocently, with simple, friendly chats, shared confidences, or unmet emotional needs that gradually become more routine and more intimate. 

Note: While emotional affairs are deeply painful, polygraph tests cannot determine whether someone has developed feelings or emotional intimacy. Instead, they are designed to clarify specific behaviors and factual questions.

Physical Affairs

Physical affairs are typically clearer-cut and more easily defined than online cheating. 

In any common relationship, if either member engages with someone else in any intimate, physical way without the partner’s knowledge or consent, they’ve cheated or been unfaithful. 

However, in some instances, people can manage to view a physical affair as a momentary lapse in judgment and rationalize it as a mistake. 

The emotional aspect of affairs is typically more challenging to deal with in the long term.

When a partner establishes an emotional connection with someone else, loyalty comes into question, and trusting them that the affair is over can be especially challenging.

What the Research Says

Interestingly, the worse of the two affairs depends on who you ask. 

For instance, this survey revealed that 65% of heterosexual women would be more upset by emotional infidelity than physical cheating, while 54% of heterosexual men said the opposite. 

Recovery after emotional affairs can be more complex, as some research has revealed reconciliation rates to be slightly higher after physical affairs (68%) compared with emotional affairs (57%), illustrating that emotional betrayals can cut deeper, leaving longer-lasting wounds.

Emotional and Physical Cheating Combined

Infidelity of both types combined is significantly harder for some couples to navigate. 

Trust levels often erode to nearly irreparable levels, putting relationships on life support. 

In cases of emotional and physical cheating, partners haven’t just shared themselves with someone else physically; they’ve also shared their innermost thoughts, fears, and affections. 

These affairs typically stem from seemingly harmless exchanges and build over time. It could be as simple as co-workers exchanging numbers for a work-related issue. 

Because these affairs are so complicated, they often create more lingering doubt as affected parties try to process and make sense of what happened and decide if trust is recoverable. 

Addressing Combined Cheating

There are a few avenues couples can explore, including:

• A polygraph test for cheating
• Special counseling 
• Re-establishing clear, defined boundaries 

Polygraph testing can’t assess emotional bonds, but it can confirm or rule out physical behaviors that are often at the center of online or in-person affairs. This clarity can help couples begin the process of rebuilding trust. When untangling these scenarios, those affected need the truth to heal and decide if reconciliation is possible.

Can a Polygraph Test for Cheating Help?

Important to note: Polygraphs cannot measure emotions, thoughts, or feelings. They cannot determine if a partner has had an “emotional affair.” Instead, they measure physiological responses to factual, yes-or-no questions, such as whether someone met a person in secret, exchanged photos, or engaged in physical contact.

The only way to restore trust in a relationship is by knowing the facts; this is especially true in cases of infidelity. When words and actions don’t match up, a polygraph test for online cheating can be one of the strongest tools available. 

But how do these polygraph tests work? Are there risks?

How Polygraphs Work

Polygraph tests measure physiological signals and stress responses. Heart rate, blood pressure, skin conductivity, and respiration rate are all measured as subjects respond to carefully crafted questions regarding a particular topic. 

Deceptive answers trigger arousals that differ from truthful responses. 

Polygraph Benefits

While polygraphs aren’t perfect or always 100% accurate, they’re still one of the most reliable tools available for uncovering truthfulness and deception. 

In the case of a relationship where trust hangs in the balance, a definitive polygraph can confirm or negate doubts, allowing couples to address betrayals (real or imagined) and move forward.

Polygraphs can also build trust through the very act of a couple mutually agreeing to the test itself; it can be viewed as a gesture towards transparency and accountability. 

Finally, alongside therapy, polygraph results can be used to foster more open communication.

What About Accuracy?

I am the only licensed polygraph examiner in North and South Carolina and Georgia who travels with specialized equipment that includes a polygraph chair outfitted with multiple sensors for highly accurate results. I am extensively trained, licensed, and experienced. My combination of expertise and state-of-the-art equipment makes my examinations impossible to “beat.”

Recognizing the Signs of Online Cheating

Online cheating accusations are serious, and the act itself can create a major breach of trust if credibility is lacking. Approach these situations thoughtfully and avoid addressing them in overly emotional states to improve your chances of a constructive conversation. 

There are dos and don’ts when it comes to raising the issue or whether you should, but here are a few of the most common signs something could be going on:

• Secrecy with devices 
• Late-night texting
• Defensiveness when questions come up
• Emotional withdrawal 

Trust your gut if you’re suspicious, but be careful not to make claims you can’t support or say things you can’t take back. The way you approach infidelity largely determines the results.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as online cheating in a relationship? 

Whatever your partner(s) considers “online cheating” to be. It’s important to have clear expectations and boundaries.

Online cheating often goes beyond intimate conversations; it can include secret late-night texts, sexting, sharing personal details outside the relationship, or hiding social media interactions. 

Is an emotional affair as bad as a physical affair? 

It depends on the dynamic between you and your partner(s). Many people report emotional cheating as more painful, since it often means loyalty and intimacy have already been redirected. However, emotional affairs can’t be measured with a polygraph; only factual, physical actions can be addressed.

Research shows that over 60% of women believe emotional affairs are more hurtful, likely because emotional cheating means your partner has already directed their emotional intimacy elsewhere, which can feel like a deeper, more betraying cut. 

Can a polygraph test for cheating prove infidelity? 

While a polygraph test for cheating can’t guarantee absolute truth in all cases or be used as a substitute for therapy, it can provide clarity when questions remain unanswered. Polygraphs can help couples confirm honesty, reduce doubt, and build a new, reestablished trust. 

How do couples recover after online or emotional cheating? 

Recovery requires time, patience, and support. Couples often begin by establishing and setting new boundaries, rebuilding trust through open communication, therapy, and helpful, supplementary tools such as polygraphs.

Finding Truth and Moving Forward

Online cheating today is far more complex than any type of infidelity we’ve seen in the past. The emotional and physical cheating components both hurt; there are multiple layers to address, and finding the truth to rebuild and restore trust can prove challenging. 

Understanding distinctions and untangling a situation is the best way for partners to navigate next steps on their journey towards patching things up.

When doubts persist, a polygraph is one of the best ways to separate fact from fiction and determine whether a relationship can be saved.

If you’re struggling with trust in your relationship, contact The Polygraph Examiner to learn more about how a polygraph test for cheating can help you find truth. Call for a free, confidential consultation.

Why Us to Get the Truth and Justice?

What Is Online Cheating? 

Online cheating comes in countless forms, whether it’s emotional intimacy, secret chats, sexting (or all of the above), and there’s a lot of grey area that comes along with it. What one person considers a harmless interaction between friends, another could believe to be outright betrayal. 

Is It Cheating Without Physical Contact?

One of the most common arguments in these scenarios is whether or not cheating can occur if there’s no physical touch involved. Where’s the line, and when has one crossed it? 

In a national survey comprised of over 2,000 U.S. adults, 76% believed a secret emotional relationship in real life constitutes infidelity, and 72% specified that an online secret relationship would also qualify as infidelity. 

These numbers increased in married participants in the same sample, reinforcing that there’s little difference regarding how or where the emotional connection takes place.

Additionally, a meta-analysis of over 300 studies found that:

• 23% of men and 14% of women admitted to engaging in intimate online behaviors
• 35% of men and 33% of women reported online emotional unfaithfulness 

Complicating things further is the fact that in many cases, people don’t realize or believe they’re cheating at all, dismissing it as harmless fun or innocent friendship.

This is why defining and addressing online cheating more directly isn’t just a technicality; it’s necessary to preserve emotional security and rebuild broken trust in relationships.

Bottom line: Cheating is defined by you and your partner(s). Consent is key.

Emotional Affair vs. Physical Affair

Cheating doesn’t look exactly the same for everyone. 

It’s also not the physical act that cuts the deepest in most cases, but the intimacy and secrecy that often precedes it. 

Emotional Affairs

There was a time when emotional affairs would be significantly more difficult to both maintain and keep secret. As a result, they were less common, easier to spot, and harder to hide. 

Even in the earlier days of initial internet use, online happenings were easier to dismiss as “not real life.” The explosion of online dating apps, advancements in mobile camera technology, and AI have made it substantially easier for emotional, digital affairs to materialize. 

Most emotional affairs start innocently, with simple, friendly chats, shared confidences, or unmet emotional needs that gradually become more routine and more intimate. 

Note: While emotional affairs are deeply painful, polygraph tests cannot determine whether someone has developed feelings or emotional intimacy. Instead, they are designed to clarify specific behaviors and factual questions.

Physical Affairs

Physical affairs are typically clearer-cut and more easily defined than online cheating. 

In any common relationship, if either member engages with someone else in any intimate, physical way without the partner’s knowledge or consent, they’ve cheated or been unfaithful. 

However, in some instances, people can manage to view a physical affair as a momentary lapse in judgment and rationalize it as a mistake. 

The emotional aspect of affairs is typically more challenging to deal with in the long term.

When a partner establishes an emotional connection with someone else, loyalty comes into question, and trusting them that the affair is over can be especially challenging.

What the Research Says

Interestingly, the worse of the two affairs depends on who you ask. 

For instance, this survey revealed that 65% of heterosexual women would be more upset by emotional infidelity than physical cheating, while 54% of heterosexual men said the opposite. 

Recovery after emotional affairs can be more complex, as some research has revealed reconciliation rates to be slightly higher after physical affairs (68%) compared with emotional affairs (57%), illustrating that emotional betrayals can cut deeper, leaving longer-lasting wounds.

Emotional and Physical Cheating Combined

Infidelity of both types combined is significantly harder for some couples to navigate. 

Trust levels often erode to nearly irreparable levels, putting relationships on life support. 

In cases of emotional and physical cheating, partners haven’t just shared themselves with someone else physically; they’ve also shared their innermost thoughts, fears, and affections. 

These affairs typically stem from seemingly harmless exchanges and build over time. It could be as simple as co-workers exchanging numbers for a work-related issue. 

Because these affairs are so complicated, they often create more lingering doubt as affected parties try to process and make sense of what happened and decide if trust is recoverable. 

Addressing Combined Cheating

There are a few avenues couples can explore, including:

• A polygraph test for cheating
• Special counseling 
• Re-establishing clear, defined boundaries 

Polygraph testing can’t assess emotional bonds, but it can confirm or rule out physical behaviors that are often at the center of online or in-person affairs. This clarity can help couples begin the process of rebuilding trust. When untangling these scenarios, those affected need the truth to heal and decide if reconciliation is possible.

Can a Polygraph Test for Cheating Help?

Important to note: Polygraphs cannot measure emotions, thoughts, or feelings. They cannot determine if a partner has had an “emotional affair.” Instead, they measure physiological responses to factual, yes-or-no questions, such as whether someone met a person in secret, exchanged photos, or engaged in physical contact.

The only way to restore trust in a relationship is by knowing the facts; this is especially true in cases of infidelity. When words and actions don’t match up, a polygraph test for online cheating can be one of the strongest tools available. 

But how do these polygraph tests work? Are there risks?

How Polygraphs Work

Polygraph tests measure physiological signals and stress responses. Heart rate, blood pressure, skin conductivity, and respiration rate are all measured as subjects respond to carefully crafted questions regarding a particular topic. 

Deceptive answers trigger arousals that differ from truthful responses. 

Polygraph Benefits

While polygraphs aren’t perfect or always 100% accurate, they’re still one of the most reliable tools available for uncovering truthfulness and deception. 

In the case of a relationship where trust hangs in the balance, a definitive polygraph can confirm or negate doubts, allowing couples to address betrayals (real or imagined) and move forward.

Polygraphs can also build trust through the very act of a couple mutually agreeing to the test itself; it can be viewed as a gesture towards transparency and accountability. 

Finally, alongside therapy, polygraph results can be used to foster more open communication.

What About Accuracy?

I am the only licensed polygraph examiner in North and South Carolina and Georgia who travels with specialized equipment that includes a polygraph chair outfitted with multiple sensors for highly accurate results. I am extensively trained, licensed, and experienced. My combination of expertise and state-of-the-art equipment makes my examinations impossible to “beat.”

Recognizing the Signs of Online Cheating

Online cheating accusations are serious, and the act itself can create a major breach of trust if credibility is lacking. Approach these situations thoughtfully and avoid addressing them in overly emotional states to improve your chances of a constructive conversation. 

There are dos and don’ts when it comes to raising the issue or whether you should, but here are a few of the most common signs something could be going on:

• Secrecy with devices 
• Late-night texting
• Defensiveness when questions come up
• Emotional withdrawal 

Trust your gut if you’re suspicious, but be careful not to make claims you can’t support or say things you can’t take back. The way you approach infidelity largely determines the results.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as online cheating in a relationship? 

Whatever your partner(s) considers “online cheating” to be. It’s important to have clear expectations and boundaries.

Online cheating often goes beyond intimate conversations; it can include secret late-night texts, sexting, sharing personal details outside the relationship, or hiding social media interactions. 

Is an emotional affair as bad as a physical affair? 

It depends on the dynamic between you and your partner(s). Many people report emotional cheating as more painful, since it often means loyalty and intimacy have already been redirected. However, emotional affairs can’t be measured with a polygraph; only factual, physical actions can be addressed.

Research shows that over 60% of women believe emotional affairs are more hurtful, likely because emotional cheating means your partner has already directed their emotional intimacy elsewhere, which can feel like a deeper, more betraying cut. 

Can a polygraph test for cheating prove infidelity? 

While a polygraph test for cheating can’t guarantee absolute truth in all cases or be used as a substitute for therapy, it can provide clarity when questions remain unanswered. Polygraphs can help couples confirm honesty, reduce doubt, and build a new, reestablished trust. 

How do couples recover after online or emotional cheating? 

Recovery requires time, patience, and support. Couples often begin by establishing and setting new boundaries, rebuilding trust through open communication, therapy, and helpful, supplementary tools such as polygraphs.

Finding Truth and Moving Forward

Online cheating today is far more complex than any type of infidelity we’ve seen in the past. The emotional and physical cheating components both hurt; there are multiple layers to address, and finding the truth to rebuild and restore trust can prove challenging. 

Understanding distinctions and untangling a situation is the best way for partners to navigate next steps on their journey towards patching things up.

When doubts persist, a polygraph is one of the best ways to separate fact from fiction and determine whether a relationship can be saved.

If you’re struggling with trust in your relationship, contact The Polygraph Examiner to learn more about how a polygraph test for cheating can help you find truth. Call for a free, confidential consultation.