Non-Monogamy, thank you for summarizing the research! I very much agree with your suggestion that self-actualization is a key trait that people in non-monogamous relashionships share.

I recently set out on a quest to figure out if there is any correlation between polyamory and personality traits, and thought that self-actualization and self-exploration are definitely at highetened levels among poly individuals.

I think the level of happiness varies, depending on where the person is on the Maslow pyramid. If the basic needs aren’t met, then monogamous or not it’s hard to be happy. And as more needs become met, the happier the person will become. Polyamory is a method for potentially meeting more needs, which is more acceptable for some people.

From personal experience, I can say that I am way happier in a polyamorous relationship, but that’s a single data point and is not statistically significant, unfortunately…