ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the framing of jealousy within threesomes, examining how and when it is experienced, as well as how it is managed it. Findings highlight jealousy often manifesting as feelings of exclusion and was found to be most commonly experienced by people who had had their threesome while with a romantic partner. Although rarely seen as positive when happening, these experiences prompted discussions about the unequal distribution of attention. Negative experiences also sometimes encouraged individuals to be more mindful of exclusion during their future encounters, or try to avoid threesomes where there were greater chances of exclusion. Furthermore, some people also aimed to minimise the potential impact a threesome may have on their relationship through the restriction of specific sexual behaviours. Thus, these findings suggest that although threesomes may sometimes result in jealousy, these experiences do not have to necessarily have long-term negative consequences. This chapter also highlights that threesomes are not necessarily a free-for-all. Over multiple experiences, tacit and explicit norms and rules may take shape in the minds of individuals which subsequently influence their future threesomes. These norms can, however, in themselves be problematic.
