Lexington Books
Pages: 230
•
Trim: 6¼ x 9½
978-1-66693-995-8 • Hardback • September 2023 • $105.00 • (£81.00)
978-1-66693-996-5 • eBook • September 2023 • $45.00 • (£35.00)
James K. Beggan is professor of sociology at the University of Louisville.
Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1. The Decision to Open a Relationship
Chapter 2. Consensual Nonmonogamy
Chapter 3. Moral Reasoning
Chapter 4. Polynomics: Decision-Making about Polyamory
Chapter 5. How Do We Make Decisions?
Chapter 6. Risk Tolerance and Affective Forecasting
Chapter 7. The Centrality of Relationships
Chapter 8. Relationship Variables and Consensual Nonmonogamy
Chapter 9. The Monogamy Myth and Infidelity
Chapter 10. Triad Dynamics Conclusion
References
About the Author
“Most studies of nonmonogamous relationships focus on their composition and consequences. But how do people decide to abandon monogamy in the first place? What difficulties do people face in doing so? How might they make better choices? In this rich book, James K. Beggan answers these questions by blending his grasp of the empirical literature on triadic relationships with a helpful decision-theoretic framework. The reader leaves with a nuanced sense of the different motivations, reasoning, and moral concerns surrounding these potentially transformative decisions. If you study human intimacy, read this book.”
— Luke Brunning, University of Leeds
Throughout The Decisions to Open A Relationship: To Three or Not to Three, Beggan delves, in meticulous detail, into the many (often obscure) theories, models and processes involved in human decision making. Beggan draws from psychology, economics, philosophy and game theory to weave together a far-reaching collection of ideas and frameworks while managing to tie each of them back to the matter at hand: whether to initiate the discussion of opening a formerly closed relationship….To the doctoral student writing their thesis: this book is a brilliant example of research writing and you should read it[.]
— Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy