It’s Complicated, Whether It’s Supposed to Be or Not

by Liz Colville

Couples who think they’re monogamous may be completely wrong, according to a study by Oregon State University, which found that 40 percent of couples polled had differing ideas about how exclusive they were, even if they thought they had the same idea. Plus:

even among those who were on the same page, about 30 percent reported having cheated.

You think you know someone!

Soon this becomes a bit of a strange article. The second paragraph:

While monogamy is rare in the animal kingdom, for humans it has the practical value of being one of the easiest ways to protect against sexually transmitted diseases.

Yes! This is why I’m in a committed relationship.

Cheating and miscommunication in ostensibly exclusive relationships could trigger health issues, the study researchers say.

So if you stay committed, you will not shrivel up and die, but if you cheat, you will. Fine, simple enough, I guess.

Later:

Researcher Marie Harvey said in a statement that even when young adults are in a supposedly monogamous relationship, including marriage, clinicians should encourage them to engage in protected sex and reinforce the idea of using condoms.

Bossy! Not surprisingly, the greatest indicator of exclusivity was emotional commitment. So you know what you have to do this weekend. The thing in the picture! With the person you are going out with. Either person…or any of them.