Between Love and Stigma
A Vignette-Based Study of Monogamous Bias and Gender-Related Perceptions in Romantic Relationships
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12466377 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sébastien Paganelli (0009-0006-4695-5015, University of Parma, corresponding author), Chiara Imperato (0000-0002-4787-0631, University of Parma), Tiziana Mancini (0000-0001-7173-6478, University of Parma) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Sexuality & Culture (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1095-5143 • E-ISSN: 1936-4822 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12119-025-10495-1 |
| OpenAlex | W4416868543 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 32 |
Nowadays, an increasing number of people are opting for alternative forms of Consensual Non-Monogamy (CNM), an umbrella term which includes all the different kinds of relationships where all the people involved have chosen by common accord to have more than a single romantic partner. Since this relational arrangement challenges mononormativity (i.e., the assumption that monogamy is healthier or more natural), the present study explored whether and to what extent monogamous and non-monogamous individuals share monogamous bias. Additionally, we examined whether participants perceived women in CNM relationships in a more stereotypical way compared to those in a monogamous relation. We conducted an online vignette study in which participants were randomly assigned to read either a vignette depicting a monogamous relationship or a vignette depicting a CNM relationship. The total sample consisted of 224 participants aged 19 to 69 years ( M = 27.27, SD = 7.11; n monogamous = 127, 56.7%; n CNM = 97, 43.3%). Overall, the results showed that non-monogamous participants exhibited higher levels of monogamous bias, perceiving the vignette depicting a CNM relationship as lower in quality, less acceptable, and less sexually satisfying compared to monogamous respondents. Furthermore, our results showed that non-monogamous women exposed to the non-monogamous vignette perceived the women partner as more committed than participants in any other condition. These findings highlight the pervasive influence of mononormativity even among non-monogamous individuals and challenge the persistence of stereotypical views about women in CNM relationships, emphasizing the need for further research on the interplay between relationship arrangement and prejudices
Perception · Romance · Sample (material · Sexual behavior · Social perception · Vignette · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior · Marriage and Sexual Relationships
Why Men (and Women) Do and Don’t Rebel
Self and Social Identity
Beyond the Norm of Monogamy – Consensual Non-monogamy as an Example of a ‘Post-modern’ Relationship
Theorizing multi-partner relationships and sexualities – Recent work on non-monogamy and polyamory
A Focus Theory of Normative Conduct
Social Dominance
The Fewer the Merrier
Whatever happened to non-monogamies? Critical reflections on recent research and theory
Sexual double standards
Three’s a crowd
Fifty Shades of Sexual Health and BDSM Identity Messaging
Confirmation Bias and the Sexual Double Standard
Traditional Gender Ideology, Work Family Conflict, and Marital Quality among Chinese Dual-Earner Couples
Social comparison and group interest in ingroup favouritism
Confronting Sexual Stigma and Prejudice
From Fantasy to Reality
Examining the Role of Mononormative Beliefs, Stigma, and Internalized Consensual Non-Monogamy Negativity for Dehumanization
Jealousy, Consent, and Compersion Within Monogamous and Consensually Non-Monogamous Romantic Relationships
Stigma
The role of stereotyping in system-justification and the production of false consciousness
Prejudice, social stress, and mental health in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations
Stigma and prejudice
Characteristics of Relationship Agreements and Associations with Relationship Functioning Among People with Diverse Relationship Structures
Drawing the line at infidelity
Alternative Lifestyles Revisited, or Whatever Happened to Swingers, Group Marriages, and Communes
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |