Types of Romantic Relationships- Monogamy and Polygamy

In the previous articles, I have discussed a few types and stages of romantic relationships. Now, in this article, I will explain some common and unconventional types of romantic relationships. These explanations will help you understand how any type of healthy romantic relationship can be built, which I will discuss later in the following articles. 

Monogamous romantic relationship 

Monogamy is such a behavioral trait of a human being that makes him/her choose only one partner for emotional and physical intimacies. When two people build a relationship where emotional attachment and physical intimacy are shared only among these two people, that relationship is known as a monogamous romantic relationship..  

Key features of such a relationship include:

• Two people choose to be emotionally, mentally and sexually exclusive with each other.
• Two people are committed to each other for emotional support, loyalty, companionship, physical intimacy and safety. 
• Legally recognized romantic relationships are called marriage in most countries and domestic partnership in some.

Types of Monogamous romantic relationship 

Depending on culture, society, situations, and legality, there are a few types of Monogamous romantic relationships. I will try to define them in brief. 

Lifelong or permanent Monogamous romantic relationship 

In this relationship, two people never get separated emotionally. They stay together lifelong with commitment and trust. This type of relationship is considered conventional, and it is approved by almost all organized religions, nations, and societies. 

Serial or continuous Monogamous romantic relationship

When an individual engages in a romantic relationship with a partner for a specific period and subsequently transitions to another partner, this new relationship can be classified as a serial or continuous monogamous romantic relationship. Essentially, the individual is substituting one monogamous partner for another.  

For instance, if a person enters into marriage, then goes through a divorce—whether initiated by them or their partner—and chooses to remarry, the relationship that follows the remarriage exemplifies a serial or continuous monogamous romantic relationship. 

 No marriage or social Monogamous romantic relationship 

 In a romantic relationship, when two people choose to be together without getting married, it's known as a no marriage or social monogamous relationship. Examples include live-in relationships and domestic partnerships. Essentially, these are arrangements that exist outside of marriage.

Emotion based Monogamous romantic relationship 

In this type of romantic relationship, two individuals remain connected mainly because of their emotional bond. Physical intimacy is not a necessary component for these relationships. 

Polygamous romantic relationship 

Polygamy, like monogamy, is a part of human behavior. People who are polygamous seek emotional or physical connections with multiple partners, or both. These relationships can be romantic or non-romantic.  

Here are some key points about polygamous romantic relationships:

• A person is emotionally and physically committed to more than one other person.  
• Many religions, communities, and governments don't legally recognize these relationships. 

Types of Polygamous romantic relationship 

Many people think only a monogamous relationship can be a romantic one; it is not true, though. Even some types of polygamous relationships can be romantic relationships. Below, I have discussed them in brief. 

Open Relationships 

In this type of relationship, two people choose to commit to each other emotionally but can also have sexual relationships with others. It's important that this arrangement is based on the understanding that the main partners will stay emotionally connected to each other and will not develop feelings for their outside partners. If one partner becomes emotionally attached to someone else, the other partner can decide to end the romantic relationship. Additionally, a single person can be in an open relationship without forming any romantic emotional ties with others. In this scenario, the relationship is purely non-romantic.

Polyamory 

The term 'polyamory' comes from the Greek word 'polus,' meaning 'many' or 'multiple,' and the Latin word 'amor,' which translates to 'love.' In simple terms, polyamory refers to a relationship style where someone can have emotional and physical intimacy with more than one partner. This means a person can be romantically involved with multiple people at the same time. While still considered unconventional, this type of relationship can be found in some modern societies.

 

The relationship types discussed in this article aim to shed light on the different challenges that contemporary relationships face. I plan to cover these challenges in more detail in my future articles.