PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
PsyPost
No Result
View All Result
Home Exclusive Relationships and Sexual Health

Despite the negative stigma, polyamorous relationships are more common than we think

by Beth Ellwood
May 24, 2021
in Relationships and Sexual Health, Social Psychology
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

New research published in Frontiers in Psychology suggests that polyamory — a consensual arrangement that involves romantic and sexual relations with more than one person at a time — is not as unpopular as people might think. Still, the findings suggest that the practice remains stigmatized by many Americans.

Study authors Amy C. Moors and her team note that family and close relationships lie at the center of our social lives. In the media and in marriage and family research, monogamous relationships are seen as the most favorable type of romantic relationship. Despite this idea that monogamous relationships are superior, non-monogamous relationships are surprisingly common and might even be increasing in popularity.

Moors and her colleagues were interested to explore the popularity of one specific type of consensual non-monogamous relationship — polyamory. In contrast to open relationships or swinging relationships, polyamorous relationships embrace both romantic and sexual relations with more than one person at a time. In the first study of its kind, the researchers wanted to explore the prevalence of polyamorous relationships, the desire for these relationships, and the public’s opinion of them.

Moors and her colleagues analyzed data from a national survey of 3,438 single Americans. The surveys included 11 items related to previous polyamorous behavior, desire for a polyamorous relationship, and attitudes about polyamory.

The results revealed that around 11% of the sample had been in a polyamorous relationship at some point in time, and 17% showed some type of desire for this relationship. Of those who had tried polyamory, 30% said they would be involved in a polyamorous relationship again, 33% said they found the emotional components of polyamory too difficult to handle, and 21% said they were too possessive to cope with polyamory.

Overall, the results suggested that people from a variety of backgrounds engage in polyamory, with only a few sociodemographic factors being linked to the likelihood of engaging in this type of relationship. In line with previous research on non-monogamous relationships, men had a greater likelihood of desiring polyamory. Younger respondents as well as lesbian, gay, or bisexual respondents were also more likely to desire a polyamorous relationship.

When it came to attitudes toward people who engage in polyamory, younger people were more likely than older respondents to say they respected those who engage in polyamory. Democrats (compared to Republicans) and sexual minority groups (compared to heterosexuals) were also more likely to respect people who choose polyamorous relationships.

The authors note that while polyamory was relatively common among their sample (with 1 in 9 respondents having been in a polyamorous relationship and 1 in 6 reporting the desire for one), the findings suggest that this type of relationship remains stigmatized. Of those who said they did not want a polyamorous relationship, only 14% said they respected such a relationship in others.

Moors and colleagues say that previous research suggests that polyamorous relationships can be healthy, and bonds between partners may even be especially secure. “These studies suggest that a relationship with one partner tends to function independently of a relationship with another partner as both relationships were considered fulfilling, satisfying, and secure (essentially without influencing each other),” the researchers say, noting that it would be interesting for future studies to explore why some do well in polyamorous relationships while others find these arrangements too emotionally intense or jealousy-inducing.

The study, “Desire, Familiarity, and Engagement in Polyamory: Results From a National Sample of Single Adults in the United States”, was authored by Amy C. Moors, Amanda N. Gesselman, and Justin R. Garcia.

ShareTweetSendScanShareSharePinSend

Get all the latest updates on new psychology research with the free PsyPost app.
 


NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP

STAY CONNECTED

TRENDING

New study suggests that psychopathic individuals tend to become even worse after age 50

People with borderline tendencies have a higher number of estranged relationships

Biden voters were much more likely to report negative voting than Trump voters in the 2020 election

Women withhold honest sexual communication to protect their partner’s perceived masculinity, study finds

Partners’ heart rates synchronize in complex patterns of interaction when they are in close proximity

New research links deepfake pornography to psychopathic tendencies

RECENT

Men who pose shirtless on Tinder are perceived as less competent and more prone to risky sexual behavior

Social media helps improve mood among older adults by enriching their in-person encounters, study suggests

Biden voters were much more likely to report negative voting than Trump voters in the 2020 election

Women withhold honest sexual communication to protect their partner’s perceived masculinity, study finds

New research links deepfake pornography to psychopathic tendencies

  • Cognitive Science
  • COVID-19
  • Mental Health
  • Social Psychology
  • Drug Research
  • Conspiracy Theories
  • Meditation
  • Psychology of Religion
  • Aviation Psychology and Human Factors
  • Relationships and Sexual Health
Powered by

About

PsyPost is a psychology and neuroscience news website dedicated to reporting the latest research on human behavior, cognition, and society. (READ MORE...)

  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy

No Result
View All Result
  • About
    • Newsletter signup form
  • Cart
  • Checkout
  • Contact
  • Contact us
  • My account
  • Privacy policy
  • Psychology news
  • PsyPost app privacy policy
  • Shop
  • SmartMag Home

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used.