Romantic jealousy: a transcultural comparison between the United States, Colombia, and Mexico

Abstract

Romantic jealousy, a complex and universal emotion found across cultures, is influenced by societal norms and stems from the actual or threatened loss of one’s partner to a rival. This study aimed to determine the transcultural equivalence of the Interpersonal Jealousy Scale across the United States, Colombia, and Mexico, and subsequently compare levels then to make comparisons of romantic jealousy. The research involved a total sample of 1,127 university students aged 18 to 23. Progressive factorial invariance analysis revealed a high degree of invariance for the 18-item unidimensional scale in all three countries. Asymmetry, kurtosis, and corrected total item correlation and reliability are also optimal. Significant differences were found between the total scores of the three countries, with Latin American countries being more similar to the US. Gender did not show a significant effect. The study identified that scenarios involving partner collaboration, receiving compliments, or shared interests with others resulted in lower jealousy levels. Conversely, situations related to reconnecting with old friends and possessiveness yielded varying responses, with the USA consistently displaying higher scores. The implications of these findings for future research are thoroughly discussed.