As society is changing. The way humans experience love and attraction is also evolving. Nowadays people are not only attracted to one partner but to both simultaneously. This growing phenomenon is known as Symbiosexuality. In a new study done at Seattle University, it was discovered that people may experience romantic and sexual attraction towards an existing couple rather than just one person.
This study was conducted and published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior and the title was, ‘Attraction to the energy, multidimensionality and shared power between people in a relationship.’ Now it appears that the aspect of attraction can indeed be further complicated than was considered earlier. Symbiosexuals focus on the interactions taking place within the couple’s relationship, which is filled with energy. The attraction is not only for one particular person but for the feelings they have for the other partner as well.
Symbiosexuality: A Different Kind of Relationship and Chemistry
Symbiosexuality came out from the idea that how some people are more attracted to the interaction between two persons. Although this concept is being discussed in the literature, it remains a rather unexplored area. Most of what we know about human attraction is that it focuses on one-to-one relationships, but symbiosexuality shows that attraction can sometimes work differently.
According to the study’s author, Dr. Sally W. Johnston, people should not assume that attraction always involves two people at a time. She stumbled upon this while exploring how ‘unicorns’ are viewed in polyamory arrangements. In these types of relationships, a unicorn is a third person involved in the sexual aspect of the relationship but not in the feelings-making part. Unfortunately, after using it for sexual pleasure, the unicorn is again subjected to unfair treatment, objectification, and exclusion.
A Closer Look At Symbiosexual Attraction
The current study by Dr. Johnston is one of several projects under a series of research known as The Pleasure Study that looks into various aspects of gender, sexual preferences, relationship dynamics, and individuals’ perceptions of couples. As part of this research, Johnston asked 65 specific questions to participants who had felt attracted to a couple. From this, Johnston paid more attention to those who mentioned they have had an interest in two as boyfriend and girlfriend not separately. Among the 373 participants in The Pleasure Study, 145 people said they had this kind of attraction. Of these respondents, more than 90% said they were queer, and 87 percent of the queer women.” 5% said they were polyamorous, meaning they were involved in a relationship with more than one partner. Most of the participants were whites, middle-aged, and had achieved a university level of education.
Nevertheless, as Johnston observed, symbiosexual attraction is found in a wide population. She defined this as being a fascination with the “vibe or electricity, of a couple. A lot of symbiosexuals also have extroverted personalities, seek intimacy and touch, and do not easily experience jealousy in relationships.
Symbiosexuality: A New Dimension in Human Interference
Symbiosexuality is coming with a fresh perspective on relationships and attraction, where people are falling in love not with a person but with everything that two personalities have altogether. It provides a new approach towards understanding human desire making the notion of relationships even more complicated. Although further studies are required, the current research provides insights into a unique phenomenon that is becoming more recognized in today’s evolving world of relationships.
Also, read
