Final answer:
The majority of extramarital affairs occur due to a complex interplay of factors such as unmet emotional and sexual needs, financial stresses, and societal pressures including the sexual double standard.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question about the reason that the majority of extramarital affairs occur touches on a complex mix of societal norms, individual behaviors, and evolving cultural attitudes towards sex and marriage. Findings from the Kinsey Report suggest that extramarital affairs are not uncommon, and the historically held double standard has likely impacted sexual behaviors within marriages. According to research by Ira Reiss and other studies, there is an understanding that both unmet emotional needs and unmet sexual needs can be factors contributing to affairs.
Furthermore, financial stress and lack of assets are strongly tied to marital problems leading to divorce, as couples with more assets have a reduced risk of divorce. The societal pressures, such as the double standard, and the stresses of financial instability combined with personal factors like incompatibility of sexual drives or the pursuit of emotional fulfillment, are major contributors to why people might engage in extramarital affairs.