Scientists Highlighted 5 Surprising Ways Open Relationships Are More Beneficial Than Monogamy
Let’s face it: society idealizes monogamous relationships, and anything outside of a traditional, two-person relationship is often viewed as alien or taboo.
So, it may shock you to learn that a 2017 study published in SAGE Journals actually found that open relationships offer a load of benefits– more specifically, benefits that are not always a “given” with monogamy.
The study, entitled “Investigation of Consensually Nonmonogamous Relationships” (CNM), was conducted by researchers at the University of Alaska Southeast Ketchikan.
First, it aimed to analyze relationships in which participants identify as polyamorous, swingers, or in an open relationship. Then, the researchers compared their findings to monogamous relationships and discovered some interesting similarities and differences.
Most notably, CNM relationships were not found to offer any lower levels of commitment, satisfaction, or passion– a revelation that even the researchers were shocked about and that totally goes against popular culture’s portrayal of non-traditional relationships.
Then, the researchers were even able to pinpoint five reasons why CNM relationships are not just a viable romantic choice but may even be a healthier option.
1. Say Goodbye To Jealousy
Monogamy has long been believed to decrease the amount of jealousy in a relationship, right?
Well, according to the study, people who partake in CNM relationships actually report lower jealousy levels than people in monogamous relationships. On top of that, CNM participants also report greater levels of satisfaction. A win-win!
Jelena – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purpose only, not the actual person
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The researchers believe that CNM participants are able to achieve this simultaneous feeling of security and pleasure since they are allowed to engage in different behaviors that monogamous partners simply are not.
2. Trust Is At An All-Time High
Much like jealousy and satisfaction, people in CNM relationships also showed significantly greater levels of trust as compared to people who partake in monogamy.
And here, the researchers found an interesting paradox in the role of “trust” itself. More specifically, people in monogamous relationships believe that by introducing more participants, a CNM relationship would severely decrease trust in their current partner.
On the flip side, though, participants in CNM relationships cited high trust levels as a primary factor in the launching and success of their union.
3. Lower Rates Of Abuse
According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), over ten million women and men are physically abused by an intimate partner every single year in the U.S.
But, the researchers found that those who act abusively would not necessarily be able to tolerate CNM relationships. This is mostly due to CNM participants having access to and encouraging external intimacy. So, abusive tendencies do not fall in line with these norms.
4. CNM Relationships Provide A Support Network
Having “your person” that you exclusively rely on can be great. But, it can also force your partner to be like an on-call doctor, who is always your emotional shoulder to cry on.
And the researchers found that this pattern is not always great for partners’ mental health. In fact, it is “associated with poorer psychosocial outcomes, as evidenced by the psychological fallout of divorce,” according to the study.
CNMs, on the other hand, offer participants a larger social support network that can be relied upon in rotation. So, the study ultimately concluded that a CNM arrangement could help lower levels of stress and other adverse psychological outcomes.
5. CNM Relationships Cannot Fail
This fifth and final benefit may come as a shock. After all, traditional marriages that dissolve are considered “failed relationships,” right? Well, in the case of a polyamorous relationship, for example, a new relationship does not necessarily mean that the prior one dissolved– or, in other words, failed.
So, this idea of having a “successful” versus “failing” relationship is virtually nonexistent with CNMs. And even just cutting out that black-and-white way of thinking can help nurture more thoughtful and open-minded connections.
Is Monogamy On The Way Out?
It is safe to say that traditional relationships and marriages will probably not be going anywhere anytime soon. But, people across the United States are seeking out CNMs in growing numbers.
According to a 2020 poll conducted by YouGov, a shocking thirty-two percent of U.S. adults shared that their ideal relationship would be non-monogamous in some way, shape, or form. Plus, nearly twenty-five percent of Americans reported already being in a non-monogamous relationship.
So, it may be time to slash the stigma surrounding CNMs and look at the now scientifically proven benefits– because it appears that a lot of Americans are already cashing in on them. To read the study’s complete findings published in SAGE journals, visit the link here.
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