Personality Correlates of Desire to Engage in Consensual Non-monogamy among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals

ABSTRACT

Engaging in consensual departures from monogamy is common among bisexual, lesbian, and gay individuals. Although research has examined relationship qualities among those who engage in consensual nonmonogamy, personality-related antecedents of interest in these relationships are unclear. In the present research, the authors examined the relationship between Big Five factors and attachment dimensions and (1) attitudes toward consensual nonmonogamy and (2) willingness to engage in consensual nonmonogamy among a nontargeted community sample of sexual minorities in the United States. Openness to experience predicted positive attitudes and greater desire to engage in consensual nonmonogamy; on the other hand, conscientiousness predicted negative attitudes and less willingness. Additionally, the Big Five factors more strongly predicted attitudes and willingness to engage in consensual nonmonogamy than attachment orientations.

KEYWORDS:

• Attachment theory
• Big Five
• same-sex sexuality
• LGB studies
• consensual nonmonogamy

Notes

1. Drawing clear definitional boundaries between various consensually nonmonogamous relationship configurations is challenging for researchers because not all relationships are practiced in the exact same way (e.g., within swinging relationships, people often consistently use the label to define their relationships, though engage in different relationship rules). In the present research, we focused on attitudes toward three of the main subtypes of CNM: swinging relationships, open relationships, and polyamorous relationships. The definitions of each relationship style we describe reflect the most comprehensive and commonly used perspectives in the literature.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amy C. Moors

Amy C. Moors, PhD, is the Director of the Social Science Research and Evaluation Program at Purdue University and a Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University.

Dylan F. Selterman

Dylan F. Selterman, PhD, is a faculty member in the Department of Psychology at the University of Maryland. His research focuses on close relationships, patterns of dreaming, and romantic attraction and sexual behavior.

Terri D. Conley

Terri D. Conley, PhD, is an associate professor in the Departments of Psychology and Women's studies. Her research focuses on women's sexuality, diverse romantic relationships, and intergroup relations.