You hope you can change them… in reality you rarely can: the serial cheater. They’re the guys and gals who seemingly ‘don’t do relationships,’ or who just can’t help themselves straying.

And while having your heart-broken may sometimes be unavoidable, according to a new study from Texas Tech University, there is a MAJOR red-flag to look out for.

In short: sleeping around runs in families.

Frighteningly, nearly half of the subjects that researchers spoke to who were raised by philandering parents also admitted to having cheated on a partner.

This means these men and women are actually TWICE as likely to stray.

The tendency to sleep around is partly genetic, author Dana Weiser, PhD explains. Other scientists have found that you can also inherit biological traits, like dopamine receptors, that make you crave multiple partners. 

But Dr Weiser furthermore suspects that your parents shape your expectations for your own relationships. For example, if a parent failed to be faithful, you may conclude that monogamy is unreasonable or impossible. And that belief could turn out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

So what do you do if you’re currently in a relationship where your other half grew up in an adulterous environment? Or if you are the one from a non-monogamous home?

Don’t worry! You’re not entirely doomed, Dr Weiser says. However, you do need to be aware of how past experiences have affected you.

And remember, there’s another huge predictor of cheating that you actually have control over: the strength of your relationship. Pouring your energy into communicating, having fun, and trying new things together is one of the best safeguards against infidelity, Dr Weiser adds.