What Is Compersion?: Understanding Positive Empathy in Consensually Non-Monogamous Relationships

The book explores the concept of compersion, which is the opposite of jealousy, and its potential to promote social justice by challenging mononormativity. It presents a comprehensive theoretical model of compersion based on empirical data and original stories from research participants. The book argues that understanding compersion is essential for dismantling mononormativity and challenging the assumption that jealousy is the only valid response to extradyadic intimacy. It also proposes two novel definitions of compersion for use in both CNM relationships and other relational contexts.

Format: Hardback
Length: 314 pages
Publication date: 18 June 2024
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

This book explores the concept of compersion, a positive emotion that arises when someone experiences joy due to another person's happiness or success. It examines the contexts that promote or hinder its occurrence, and whether it can be learned or encouraged. The book draws on original qualitative research with 17 consensually nonmonogamous individuals who have experienced compersion, as well as relevant published literature. It presents a comprehensive theoretical model of compersion, identifying its core components and the factors that promote or hinder it at individual, relational, and social levels. The individual level includes ideological commitment to CNM values and self-security, while the relational level includes relational security, connectedness, and trust, integration of partners' other relationships, and positive perception of partners' other relationships. The social level includes community belonging. The book also proposes that compersion needs to be redefined for use in both CNM relationships and other relational contexts. It includes original stories and quotes from the authors' research participants, giving the book a personal tone. The book concludes by discussing the potential social impact of compersion and its role in dismantling mononormativity.

Weight: 604g
Dimension: 236 x 161 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781538183939