Polygamy is an ancient practice that has been practiced for centuries across various cultures and religions. It involves having multiple spouses simultaneously. Polygamy is a common feature in most polytheistic religions like Hinduism and Islam.
It's also found among some Christian groups. In the Western world, polygamy is illegal because it goes against monogamous marriage laws. Despite being illegal, there are many reports of secretive polygamy among members of these communities.
A recent study revealed that about one million people in the United States live in polygamous families. The study was conducted through surveys involving Mormons who practice polygamy in the Utah region.
While polygamy may seem appealing to some, research suggests that this type of relationship comes with long-term effects on relational satisfaction, emotional regulation, and ethical reasoning. This article explains how different aspects of polygamy affect these three things and the possible solutions to mitigate them.
Relational Satisfaction
One of the main effects of polygamy on relationships is low relational satisfaction levels. When someone enters into a polygamous marriage, they must share their partner(s) with other individuals in the family. While sharing a partner can be beneficial, studies show that jealousy and resentment often result from not getting enough time or attention from your partner. This leads to feelings of dissatisfaction and anger, which can eventually lead to fights, breakups, and divorce.
Researchers have discovered that women tend to experience more discontentment than men when it comes to polygamy. Women feel as though they cannot compete with their partner's additional wives for affection, attention, sex, or resources. They also experience distress due to their husband's infidelity towards his first wife while having multiple partners. Moreover, women face pressure from society to keep quiet about their situation because societies view polygamy as taboo.
Polygamy also causes problems among children born within the family unit. Children who grow up in a polygamous household are likely to witness abuse and neglect since the parents are too busy dividing their love and attention between several partners.
Such kids may develop trust issues later in life because they don't know who to trust or confide in since everyone has access to each other's lives. Studies indicate that children raised by polygamous families tend to struggle academically compared to those who live in monogamous homes. They may also exhibit behavioral challenges like aggression, anxiety, depression, etc.
Emotional Regulation
Emotions play an essential role in regulating our daily activities and relationships.
Polygamy tends to negatively affect emotional regulation. People in polyamorous marriages must learn to balance their feelings towards their spouses or risk being hurt emotionally.
They can become resentful towards other members of the family when they receive less love, attention, or support from their primary partner. Such individuals often resort to suppressing their feelings to avoid hurting others or themselves. Unfortunately, suppressed emotions can lead to mental health disorders like stress, anxiety, and depression.
Another problem is that people in polyamorous unions have difficulty expressing their feelings openly due to fear of judgement or shame. This can cause them to bottle up their emotions until something triggers them, causing them to act out violently or irrationally. It's not uncommon for people involved in polygamy to engage in destructive behaviors like substance abuse, violence, or suicide as a way of coping with their feelings.
Ethical Reasoning
Polygamy poses ethical issues because it goes against society's norms. Many countries consider it immoral and illegal. Those who practice it are seen as breaking social norms and morals.
Some cultures view polygamy as acceptable since it has been practiced for centuries within those communities. Still, most societies see this type of marriage as wrong since it involves cheating on your partner(s). Therefore, people in polyamorous relationships face discrimination and judgment from the public.
People involved in polygamy may experience guilt over the pain they inflict on their spouses and children. Guilt causes stress and low self-esteem, leading to poor decision making and regret later in life. People who practice polygamy may also feel guilty about having to share resources and time with several partners while neglecting their primary family members. These challenges can result in dysfunctional parenting practices such as favoritism, emotional detachment, etc.
Possible Solutions
Despite these long-term effects, there are ways to improve relational satisfaction, emotional regulation, and ethical reasoning among those involved in polygamy.
Couples can discuss their expectations openly before entering into a polyamorous union to avoid future conflicts. They should be clear about what they want out of the relationship, how much time each partner needs, and how to handle disagreements. This way, everyone is aware of the rules and boundaries, making it easier to deal with jealousy or resentment.
People involved in polygamy should learn healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with emotions like anger, frustration, or sadness instead of suppressing them. They should seek professional help when necessary to avoid substance abuse, violence, suicide, etc.
They can express themselves openly without fear of judgement by joining support groups for polyamory practitioners or seeking counseling services.
Society must acknowledge that polygamy exists despite being illegal and unaccepted. It's not fair to judge individuals engaging in this type of marriage since it has been part of human history for thousands of years. Society must work on creating laws that protect people involved in polygamy from discrimination and stigmatization.
Polygamy comes with numerous challenges that affect relational satisfaction, emotional regulation, and ethical reasoning.
Solutions exist if you understand your feelings and know where to seek help. People involved in polyamorous marriages should
What are the long-term effects of polygamous religious practices on relational satisfaction, emotional regulation, and ethical reasoning?
Polygamy is defined as a practice where an individual has multiple spouses simultaneously. This is often seen in religions such as Islam, Mormonism, and some Christian denominations. The long-term impact of polygamous religious practices on relational satisfaction, emotional regulation, and ethical reasoning can be varied and complex.