The act of cheating seems to have no boundaries. Author Pamela Druckerman has penned a book entitled "Lust in Translation: The Rules of Infidelity from Tokyo to Tennessee," which examines this issue. A book that examines cheating and the excuses that different cultures use for straying, here are her main points so that you are aware of how things work in places you might visit and/or live. Or, at the very least, you can get some very creative excuses.

The Research

While South African men use cheating as a way to get around having to take on more wives, the Japanese don't believe it is cheating if the sex is paid for. When different areas of the world are compared, 37 percent of men located in various African countries, ranging from Togo to Mozambique, were the most likely to have cheated in the last year. In France, married persons answered that only 2 percent of women and 3.8 percent of French men have strayed. Those living in the United States came pretty close to the French, with only about 3.1 percent of American women and 3.9 percent of American men admitting to cheating on their significant other. It seems that Americans have a bit of a conscious, though, when it comes to cheating. When compared to other nations, they were the most likely to be really upset with themselves over the affair.

Druckerman also gives her readers a look at how people from different countries feel about the act of cheating. During on survey, 6 percent of U.S. residents said that cheating is okay in some, or even all, cases. In Russia, almost 40 percent said that cheating is fine. It seems that men living in less affluent countries are the most likely to step out on their partner, as well as those who live in areas where economic and political upheaval are common, such as China or Russia. Druckerman's research found that the number of cheaters greatly varied depending on an area's sub-cultures, as well as certain city neighborhoods. "Much more important than any religious law or law of the land, is what your friends and colleagues are doing."

The Reasoning

So, what made Druckerman decide to write a book revealing the secrets of cheaters worldwide? Having formerly worked as a Wall Street Journal reporter in various countries, Druckerman realized that she had a much different idea about cheating then others did overseas. During an interview, she revealed, "I thought you could often understand a country better by looking at the rules in people's private lives. It really reveals the values of a culture. Americans have gotten more tolerant on practically every major sexual issue from having a child out of wedlock to divorce ... and homosexuality," she added. "We're more accepting of all these issues except infidelity, where we've gotten stricter."

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