Some studies suggest 5 percent of Americans are in consensual nonmonogamous relationships, but as many as one in five Americans has been in one at some point in his or her life. And though the reasons someone chooses polyamory vary — some say it's a deep-seated part of their sexual orientation, others say it's more of a relationship-style preference — the consensus among experts is that it's not a fear of commitment. Conley said, on the contrary, "these are people that really like commitment."