What if monogamy was not the best model of union? In Western culture, monogamy remains presented as more moral, more stable, better for psychological health and the family. Researchers speak of a myth of the superiority of monogamy. But between polygamy, open relationships or swinging, an increasingly visible minority is experimenting with other models. A vast scientific synthesis published in 2025 in the journal The Journal of Sex Research comes to question this cultural reflex, by carefully comparing exclusive couples and open relationships in the broad sense.
A stubborn myth dismantled
“Monogamous relationships are often assumed to offer greater satisfaction, intimacy, commitment, passion, and trust than non-monogamous relationships. This widely held belief, which we call the ‘monogamy superiority myth’, is often reinforced by stereotypes and media narratives.“, says Joel R. Anderson, senior researcher at the Australian Center for Research in Sexuality, Health and Society at La Trobe University and lead author of the study.
The meta-analysis aggregates 35 studies published between 2007 and 2024, or 24,489 people in couples in North America, Australia and Europe. The authors point out that the samples remain mainly Western, recruited online and self-declared.
Rather comparable confidence and pleasure
In these works, non-monogamy covers polygamy, open relationships, swinging and so-called “monogamish” relationships, where the couple remains primarily exclusive but accepts certain negotiated differences. Overall, non-monogamous people report as much marital happiness as others, and even slightly higher confidence.
When it comes to sex life, we find the same pattern: no overall difference in sexual satisfaction between monogamous and non-monogamous people, even if polyamorous people and swingers report slightly higher pleasure. “There is no evidence that monogamous relationships are more sexually satisfying or fulfilling than consensual non-monogamous relationships“, summarizes Joel R. Anderson.
Focusing on the right things for a happy couple
These data focus attention on something other than the number of partners to explain romantic fulfillment. The authors emphasize the central role of communication, consent and shared expectations. In monogamous couples, the breakdown of exclusivity through infidelity often triggers major crises, when non-monogamous couples frame desire for others through explicit agreements.
However, people in consensual non-monogamy remain stigmatized. In the United States, studies estimate that around 5% of adults are currently in this type of relationship and almost 20% have already experienced it. “A common interpretation is that our results prove that non-monogamy is ‘better’ than monogamy. The issue is not to classify the types of relationships, but to show that monogamy has no intrinsic advantage“, warns Joel R. Anderson.
“In the future, we will be interested in how stigma, disclosure, and institutional assumptions about relationships affect well-being, particularly in health care and therapy contexts.”said Joel Anderson. “Challenging the myth of the superiority of monogamy is a step toward more inclusive, evidence-based approaches to relationships and mental health.”.