This qualitative phenomenological study explored the experience of polyamory from the perspective of heterosexual polyamorous women through a mononormative framework. Interpretive phenomenology was used because it gives participants the opportunity to express this phenomenon on their own terms. This study focused on understanding the experience of heterosexual polyamorous women in the following areas: (1) understanding the decision to participate in polyamorous relationships, (2) exploring the boundaries heterosexual women use to regulate and maintain multiple relationships, and (3) giving these women the opportunity to refute assumptions and stereotypes associated with identifying themselves as polyamorous. Eight women whom identified as heterosexual and polyamorous participated in semi-structured telephone interviews. Data form these interviews were analyzed using an interpretive phenomenological approach. Open coding and in-vivo coding were used to organize similar experiences into concepts that were then organized into themes and subthemes that emerged from the data. From this study, researchers gained insight into how polyamorous heterosexual woman make meaning of this phenomenon and offer recommendations for clinical professionals to use when working with this population. / Master of Science / Polyamory has been practiced for centuries in many different cultures (Labriola, 1999; Klesse, 2006; Robinson, 2013). Previous research on polyamorous relationships has focused primarily on homosexual males. There has been limited research on polyamorous relationships from the woman's perspective and no research focused exclusively on heterosexual women who identify as polyamorous. This study explored the lived experience of heterosexual polyamorous women in polyamorous relationships using interpretive phenomenology. This included understanding the decision to participate in polyamorous relationships, exploring the boundaries heterosexual women use to regulate and maintain multiple relationships, and giving these women the opportunity to refute assumptions and stereotypes associated with identifying themselves as polyamorous. The results of this research study provide insight into this perspective on polyamory and offer recommendations for clinical professionals to use when working with this population.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/105103 |
| Date | 06 April 2020 |
| Creators | Hendrickson, Kalyn Marie |
| Contributors | Adult Learning and Human Resource Development, Muruthi, Bertranna Alero, Cunanan-Petty, Elnora Danao, Jackson, Jeffrey Brown |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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