The six different shades of Poly, as described by Spencer Pentela
| Poly Negative | Views poly as perverse or threatening |
| Poly Friendly | It's OK for others, but not for me |
| Poly Open | Wannabe, but not yet or not now active |
| Poly Active | Poly is happening in my life |
| Poly Challenged | Poly is painful, high stress, and no fun |
| Poly Burned, Type 1 | I'll NEVER do that again! |
| Poly Burned, Type 2 | I need to heal from the last one before I do that again. |
Movement is typical from one state to another, though people do get stuck on either end.