Why Some People Have Multiple Partners at the Same Time, According to Psychologists

In the state of nature, people were generally polygamous. Although today the majority of people prefer to have only one partner at a time, others seem to be enjoying multiple ones. A popular example of this kind of couple is Will Smith with his wife. Although they’ve been married for more than 20 years and have 2 children, they don’t hide the fact that they have different partners and still, they have a happy marriage.

We at Bright Side are eager to discuss the reasons behind having an open relationship and its potential pitfalls.

The meaning of polyamory

Polyamory is a type of open non-monogamous relationship where people have multiple loving and intentional relationships at the same time. In these arrangements, partners are usually aware that each of them has other relationships. This means that polyamory is not actually cheating, but having an open, honest relationship with your partner.

People usually confuse swinging and polyamory, however, the latter one is not just about intimacy, but also a romantic relationship.

Open relationships can make some people happy.

In monogamous couples, people cannot imagine the fact that their partner may be dating someone else. However, research shows that polyamorous couples are quite happy with their arrangements. Reportedly people in open relationships are just as happy and satisfied with their relationships as people who choose monogamy. What is more interesting is that polyamorous people even have a higher level of trust and are less jealous than monogamous people.

Polyamory involves more communication.

Talking to your partner is a crucial factor in polyamorous relationships. Since couples should be open and honest with each other about everything to maintain trust, this makes them even closer. So having a non-monogamous arrangement involves a lot of conversations which makes the partners’ relationships deeper and stronger. Studies even show that polyamorous people have better communication skills.

Different partners may satisfy different needs.

The psychological profiles of people in open relationships suggest that they may have more emotional needs that cannot be satisfied by a single person. Sometimes it is hard to find a person who can give you both and hence non-monogamous people satisfy different needs in different relationships.

Polyamory is not suitable for everyone.

Some proponents of polyamory believe that the value of the classic relationship between 2 partners is outdated. Sometimes young people become polyamorous because they want to try a new type of connection. And after gaining new experience they often return to monogamy. Polyamory is also chosen by those who do not want to end their relationship if they meet a new potential partner.

The cons of polyamory

Aside from the potential benefits, this kind of relationship may also have some cons. First of all, if you are not ready for this, you may experience jealousy and perceive the new connection of your partner painfully. Second, if you practice polyamory it may be harder for you to start a family because not all partners can agree on that issue. And finally, open relationships may sometimes mean a considerable emotional burden since you need to devote your attention to 2 partners.

Do you think that, in the future, people will be more polygamous than now?