Serial monogamy

Serial monogamy

Serial monogamy is a term used to describe the current (assumed) most common sexual relationship pattern in contemporary Western cultures. A person may be said to be practicing serial monogamy if that person only has one sexual partner at any one time, but has had more than one sexual partner in their lifetime. Partners can be married or unmarried, but there are never more than one at a time.

The term "serial monogamy" is more often descriptive than prescriptive: relatively few people expect or want their relationships to end. Technically, any animals (including humans) who do not mate with one partner for life can be considered "serially monogamous", this includes those who mate with another only upon the death of a spouse. In more common usage, serial monogamy tends to refer to a long string of generally monogamous relationships which can often include more than one marriage. See also:

sexual revolution