The science behind Married At First Sight’s cheating scandal

Stacey Hampton shocked Married At First Sight viewers this week when she sided with her ‘husband’, Michael Goonan, after he cheated on her with Hayley Vernon.

And while Stacey’s decision to lay all the blame on Hayley may have confused some viewers, there’s actually a scientific reason behind it.

According to Now to Love, a study by Cardiff Metropolitan University revealed that ‘women are more likely to blame the other woman in an affair rather than her cheating partner’.

Psychologist Andrea Bonior said that women’s roles as nurturers and caregivers influences how we see them in society.

‘There’s the deep-seated belief of women being the caregivers,’ she explained.

‘They should be able to nourish men and keep them happy.’

Michael’s secret kiss with Hayley was exposed at Wednesday night’s dinner party.

The pair had hooked up a week earlier in Vanessa Romito and Chris Nicholls’ apartment after a boozy night out in Darling Harbour.

At the time, Stacey was in Adelaide with her children, and Hayley’s ‘husband’, David Cannon, was down the hallway in his room.

During the dinner party, Michael dodged allegations he was unfaithful by insisting he was ‘too drunk to remember’ what happened.

He acknowledged that he was acting ‘stupid’ and flirting with Hayley on the night in question, but claimed he had no recollection of kissing her.

Hayley, who prides herself on being honest regardless of the consequences, told the group they had in fact kissed.

Meanwhile, Stacey took her husband’s side and accused Hayley of ‘taking advantage’ of Michael while he was drunk.

Married At First Sight continues Sunday at 7pm on Channel Nine