Five Misconceptions About Consensually Nonmonogamous Relationships

Abstract

A sizeable minority of people engage, or have engaged, in some form of consensually nonmonogamous relationship (explicit mutual agreements to have multiple emotional, romantic, and/or sexual relationships). This article draws on current scientific knowledge to address five misconceptions about consensual nonmonogamy: (a) There is a “type” of person who engages in consensual nonmonogamy; (b) people engage in consensual nonmonogamy to “fix” their relationships issues and these relationships; (c) are low in quality, (d) promote the spread of sexually transmitted infections, and (e) are harmful to children. Yet, upon empirical scrutiny, popular misconceptions about consensual nonmonogamy are either not what they seem or, in many cases, contrary to people’s beliefs.