Journal Article

Perceptions of primary and secondary relationships in polyamory

Harman, Jennifer J., Lehmiller, Justin J., Campbell, Lorne, Holmes, Bjarne M., Balzarini, Rhonda N., Kohut, Taylor, Atkins, Nicole

2017

Overview

In consensually non-monogamous relationships there is an open agreement that one, both, or all individuals involved in a romantic relationship may also have other sexual and/or romantic partners. Research concerning consensual non-monogamy has grown recently but has just begun to determine how relationships amongst partners in consensually non-monogamous arrangements may vary. The current research examines this issue within one type of consensual non-monogamy, specifically polyamory, using a convenience sample of 1,308 self-identified polyamorous individuals who provided responses to various indices of relationship evaluation (e.g. acceptance, secrecy, investment size, satisfaction level, commitment level, relationship communication, and sexual frequency). Measures were compared between perceptions of two concurrent partners within each polyamorous relationship (i.e., primary and secondary partners). Participants reported less stigma as well as more investment, satisfaction, commitment and greater communication about the relationship with primary compared to secondary relationships, but a greater proportion of time on sexual activity with secondary compared to primary relationships. We discuss how these results inform our understanding of the unique costs and rewards of primary-secondary relationships in polyamory and suggest future directions based on these findings.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adolescent / Adult / Aged / Analysis / Biology and Life Sciences / Children / Chronology / Communication / Comparative analysis / Computer and Information Sciences / Computer programs / Context effects (Psychology) / Couples / Covariance / Criteria / Emotions / Empirical analysis / Experimental design / Female / Financing / Health aspects / Households / Humans / Identity / Incidence / Indicators / Interpersonal Relations / Investment / Longevity / Male / Marriage / Marriage - psychology / Mathematical models / Mental depression / Middle Aged / Monogamy / Personal relationships / Personality / Physical Sciences / Polyamory / Psychological factors / Psychology / Quality / Research and Analysis Methods / Satisfaction (Psychology) / Sex / Sexual behavior / Sexual Behavior - psychology / Sexuality / Social aspects / Social behavior / Social conditions / Social interactions / Social psychology / Social Sciences / Society / Software / Statistical analysis / Structural analysis / Voice communication / World Wide Web / Young Adult