A study carried out by researchers at Seattle University revealed that people may get attracted to an established couple. This phenomenon is called symbiosexuality where a person feels romantic and sexual attraction to an already-existing relationship.
Published in the Archives of Sexual Behaviour, the research is titled “Attraction to the Energy, Multidimensionality and Power Shared Between People in Relationships.”
Dr Sally W. Johnston, the author of the study, suggests reevaluating the idea that human attraction and desire are limited to one-to-one encounters. Her initial experience with symbiosexual relationships, she said, stemmed from the research she conducted on the treatment of “unicorns” in polyamorous relationships.
VeryWellMind explained that a unicorn is a person who enjoys intimacy with a couple but doesn’t take part in other facets of the relationship.
Johnson observed that the third partner in these relationships is treated poorly, objectified and shunned despite the sexual advantages.
Her current study drew heavily on The Pleasure Study, a bigger initiative aimed at examining multiple dimensions of gender, sexual orientation, relationship patterns, cultural background, education, and particular encounters with couples.
Sixty-five questions covering a wide range of themes comprised a survey by The Pleasure Study.
Johnston focused on replies from those who said they had been attracted to a couple, which is described as being attracted to two people as a couple rather than to each person individually.
At least 145 of The Pleasure Study’s 373 participants reported experiencing this kind of attraction.
With over 90% of them identifying as queer and 87.5% claiming to be polyamorous, the bulk of the results included white, middle-class university graduates.
But Johnson added, “There is a diverse population of people who experience symbiosexual attraction, an attraction to the energy, multidimensionality, and power shared between people in relationships.”
The majority of symbiosexuals identify as extroverted, enjoy a great deal of closeness, affection and consideration, and are less prone to feel jealous.
The release of Zendaya’s most recent film, Challengers, has brought more attention to polyamory and “throuples” in recent months. Zendaya’s character, along with two males, forms an intense love triangle in the film.
Symbiosexual relationships are shown in Gossip Girl and Tiger King in addition to Challengers.
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