Open Marriage Jealousy - Ground Rules

Ground Rules

Although people sometimes dislike the concept of rules for relationships, ground rules are seen as benefiting relationship partners just as rules of the road benefit drivers, or scripts benefit actors. Ground rules allow relationship partners to coordinate their behaviors so they achieve shared goals with fewer conflicts. Some ground rules describe general guidelines for conduct in different types of relationships. For example, the rules of friendships differ from the rules of marriage. Other ground rules are designed to manage romantic rivalry. Ground rules for sexually monogamous couples tend to prohibit behaviors that are viewed as acts of infidelity. Ground rules for sexually open couples tend to prohibit behaviors that provoke jealousy. Partners may change the ground rules of their relationships over time.

Ground rules in open relationships may include, for example: that partners disclose who they have sex with; that they limit their involvement with others (to dating or physical intimacy but not relationships, for example); or that they not become involved with certain people (such as the other partner's friends or coworkers).