A Swansea University research study exposed that 33% of UK males and 11% of women are open to polygamous relationships, with a notable gender difference in choices for polygyny versus polyandry. This reflects a minority interest in non-monogamous relationships in a mainly monogamous UK society. Credit: SciTechDaily.comA new research study from Swansea University exposes that 33% of men in the UK are open to the idea of long-term partners or several partners. On the other hand, just 11% of women participants expressed openness to polygamous unions, supplied they are legal and consensual.Researchers asked 393 heterosexual men and females in the UK how they felt about a dedicated partnership in which they shared their other half with somebody else, or were shared themselves.The research study asked participants about a relationship resembling polygyny– where a male weds more than one lady– and polyandry– where a woman marries more than one man.Men were first asked if they would want to be shared throughout more than one other half and were then asked if they would want to share a partner with another man.The study, released in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, revealed that nine percent of males said they would share a partner, whereas simply 5 percent of females had an interest in such an arrangement.Study Results and Gender DifferencesDr. Andrew Thomas, lead author of the research study, stated: “Comparing polygyny and polyandry straight, men were three-and-a-half times most likely to state yes to the former than the latter, while females were two times as most likely to state yes to having more than one partner, compared to the concept of sharing their partner with somebody else.” Polygyny and polyandry are alternative forms of marital relationship that include numerous partners, and their acceptance varies across cultures. In the United Kingdom, these practices are not lawfully acknowledged or widely welcomed within the traditional culture, as the legal framework is based on monogamy.In contrast, specific cultures around the world historically and currently practice polygyny, where a guy can have several other halves, and polyandry, where a lady can have several partners. These plans are typically rooted in cultural, religious, or historical contexts. For example, some societies in Africa and the Middle East have long-standing customs of polygyny, while specific communities in Tibet and Nepal have actually practiced polyandry.Dr Thomas included: “Committed non-monogamy has actually gotten a great deal of attention recently. Its a hot pattern with a growing number of couples discussing opening up their relationships to consist of other people. Nevertheless, these kinds of relationships are far from new. While the majority of look for monogamous relationships, a little percentage of humans have participated in multi-partner relationships throughout human history, especially polygynous marriage where one husband is shared by several co-wives. This research study shows that a sizable minority of people are open to such relationships, even in the UK where such marital relationships are prohibited. Surprisingly, much more males are open to the concept than females– though there is still interest on both sides.” Reference: “Polygamous Interest in a Mononormative Nation: The Roles of Sex and Sociosexuality in Polygamous Interest in a Heterosexual Sample from the UK” by Andrew G. Thomas, Sophie Harrison, Justin K. Mogilski, Steve Stewart-Williams and Lance Workman, 29 November 2023, Archives of Sexual Behavior.DOI: 10.1007/ s10508-023-02749-6.
