. ▁In ▁soci obi ology ▁and ▁zo ology , ▁research ers ▁use ▁pol yg amy ▁in ▁a ▁broad ▁sense ▁to ▁mean ▁any ▁form ▁of ▁multiple ▁m ating . ▁ ▁World wide , ▁different ▁soci eties ▁various ly ▁encou rage , ▁accept ▁or ▁out law ▁pol yg amy . ▁Of ▁soci eties ▁which ▁allow ▁or ▁toler ate ▁pol yg amy , ▁in ▁the ▁vast ▁majority ▁of ▁cases ▁the ▁form ▁accepted ▁is ▁pol yg yn y . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁Eth n ographic ▁Atlas ▁( 1 9 9 8 ), ▁of ▁ 1 , 2 3 1 ▁soci eties ▁noted , ▁ 5 8 8 ▁had ▁frequent ▁pol yg yn y , ▁ 4 5 3 ▁had ▁occas ional ▁pol yg yn y , ▁ 1 8 6 ▁were ▁mon og am ous ▁and ▁ 4 ▁had ▁poly and ry ; ▁although ▁more ▁recent ▁research ▁suggests ▁poly and ry ▁may ▁be ▁more ▁common ▁than ▁previously ▁thought . ▁In ▁cult ures ▁which ▁practice ▁pol yg amy , ▁its ▁pre val ence ▁among ▁that ▁population ▁is ▁often ▁connected ▁to ▁class ▁and ▁so cio e conom ic ▁status . ▁ ▁From ▁a ▁legal ▁point ▁of ▁view , ▁in ▁many ▁countries , ▁although ▁marriage ▁is ▁leg ally ▁mon og am ous ▁( a ▁person ▁can ▁only ▁have ▁one ▁sp ouse , ▁and ▁big amy ▁is ▁illegal ), ▁ad ul tery ▁is ▁not ▁illegal , ▁leading ▁to ▁a ▁situation ▁of ▁ ▁de ▁fact o ▁pol yg amy ▁being ▁allowed , ▁although ▁without ▁legal ▁recognition ▁for ▁non - o fficial ▁"