WOMEN, take note: Your man is likely to be better at detecting straying escapades than you.

But he is also more prone to jumping to the wrong conclusion even if you are faithful, according to a study by American scientists.

Published in scientific journal Human Nature's December issue, the study involved 203 heterosexual couples in New Mexico in the United States who filled up confidential questionnaires.

While women detected correctly 41 per cent of the time that their partner had cheated on them,men scored significantly better - they were right 75 per cent of the time.

Dr Paul Andrews from Virginia Commonwealth University, who is the study leader, said it makes evolutionary sense that men are more wary of infidelity.

Men can never be sure a baby is theirs, and risk investing resources in raising offspring that aren't theirs, he explained.

In the study, 29 per cent of the men admitted to at least one affair, compared with 18.5 per cent of the women.

But women tend to cover up their liaisons more, while men come clean.

Researchers said this suggests an evolutionary arms race between the sexes - men are getting better at detecting infidelity in women, and women are becoming more skilled at hiding it.

Singaporeans my paper spoke to hold mixed opinions on which gender is better at detecting philandering.

Biology PhD student Huang Danwei, 27, said: "Women are more emotional and sensitive, and are more prone to suspect they're being cheated on."

Miss Gracie Ngoi, 25, lifestyle programmes executive, disagreed: "Men have a bigger stake in protecting their ego. To be cheated on is more embarrassing for a man, so they're probably more suspicious."

Some say it boils down to traditional gender roles.

Digital marketer Joel Wong, 34, said: "In a relationship, men are typically required to lead, provide and be vigilant.

"If we're cheated on, we can usually tell when our position in a woman's eyes diminishes as her allegiance shifts distinctly."

However, some Singaporeans do not think gender has anything to do with the ability to sniff out infidelity, adding that it comes down to the individual's personality traits.

Said conservation biologist Reuben Clements, 29: "It's just a hypothesis, as with most evolutionary studies. As the study's sample size is small, it may be a sweeping conclusion."

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