Episode 452: What People Get Wrong About Open Relationships
November 25, 2025 by Justin Lehmiller
Consensual non-monogamy (CNM) is something everyone seems to have an opinion on, but many people’s views are decidedly negative. For example, people often say things like “open relationships never work,” and “how is that any different than cheating?” In today’s show, we’re going to dive into common CNM myths and misconceptions and separate fact from fiction.
My guest is Dr. Justin Mogilski, an associate professor of psychology at the University of South Carolina Salkehatchie, where he teaches courses on human sexuality, the psychology of marriage, and evolutionary psychology.
Some of the specific topics we explore in this episode include:
- What the difference between CNM and infidelity?
- How is cheating within a CNM relationship similar to or different from cheating in a monogamous relationship?
- What are some of the logistical and emotional challenges in CNM relationships?
- What are some of the key components to a successful CNM relationship?
- How is CNM related to sexual health and safer-sex practices?
You can click this link to read Dr. Mogilski’s large-scale study on consensual non-monogamy.
Got a sex question? Send me a podcast voicemail to have it answered on a future episode at speakpipe.com/sexandpsychology.
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Credits: Precision Podcasting (Podcast editing) and Shutterstock/Florian (Music). Image created with Canva; photos used with permission of guest.
Dr. Justin Lehmiller
Founder & Owner of Sex and PsychologyDr. Justin Lehmiller is a social psychologist and Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute. He runs the Sex and Psychology blog and podcast and is author of the popular book Tell Me What You Want. Dr. Lehmiller is an award-winning educator, and a prolific researcher who has published more than 50 academic works.
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