Kay Saffe

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Social Sciences

First Advisor

Graham, Steven

Keywords

Non-Monogamous Relationships, Open Relationships, Swinging, Polyamory, Sexual Identity

Area of Concentration

Psychology

Abstract

This thesis explores the differing attitudes college students from a public liberal arts college in Florida have towards consensual non-monogamous romantic relationships. Participants completed a survey, which assessed their attitudes towards three types of consensual non-monogamy: polyamory, open relationships, and swinging. Polyamory is defined as a type of non-monogamous relationship orientation in which it is considered acceptable to love more than one person and emphasis is placed on openness and honesty within one's relationships. Open relationships are defined as relationships that are not sexually monogamous and permit outside sexual entanglements, but not loving or romantic relationships. Swinging is defined as the practice of having multiple sexual partners outside of an existing romantic relationship, most often with the understanding that the focus of those relationships is primarily sexual rather than romantic or emotionally intimate. Participants were also asked what sexual orientation they identify with. The results show that there is a significant association between having a more positive attitude towards consensual non-monogamy and identifying as bisexual or pansexual. Participants that identified as bisexual or pansexual had the most positive attitudes towards polyamory, open relationships, and swinging.

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