Cognitive Jealousy Research Articles

Romantic Jealousy and Relationship Satisfaction: The Costs of Rumination

The experience of romantic jealousy and its influence on relationship outcomes is unclear. Romantic jealousy is often associated with damaging effects; on the other hand, jealousy is linked to positive relationship outcomes such as increased commitment. In this study, we aimed to address inconsistencies in previous research by proposing rumination as a mediator between romantic jealousy (cognitive jealousy and surveillance behaviors) and relationship dissatisfaction. We also aimed to extend our understanding of behavioral responses to jealousy, and in particular, partner surveillance and its link to relational dissatisfaction by proposing a research question. Overall, there were two paths to relationship dissatisfaction: Cognitive jealousy and surveillance behaviors were associated with relationship dissatisfaction via rumination, and cognitive jealousy was also directly associated with relationship dissatisfaction. Interestingly, surveillance behaviors were directly associated with relationship satisfaction. From these results, rumination is highlighted as a factor in explaining the link between romantic jealousy and relationship dissatisfaction. Clinical implications are discussed.

Evaluation of Romantic Jealousy: Psychometric Study of the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale for the Portuguese Population

Aim: The presence of jealousy in romantic relationships is a timeless reality, but it is underexplored. Pfeiffer and Wong (1989) propose a view of jealousy as a multidimensional construct, compounding cognitive, emotional and behavioural domains. The authors created the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale. This research aimed at adapting and validating the scale for the Portuguese population. Method: 1169 participants took part in the study, 474 male and 695 female, over 18 years. Together with the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale a socio-demographic questionnaire was applied, in order to characterize the study’s participants. Results: The Cronbach's alpha values registered were 0.87 regarding emotional jealousy; 0.92 for cognitive jealousy; and 0.90 concerning behavioural jealousy. The Cronbach's alpha for the total scale (Portuguese version) was 0.86. Conclusion: The scale showed good psychometric characteristics, with a factorial structure composed of three factors.

Measuring romantic jealousy: Validation of the multidimensional jealousy scale in Australian samples

Although a number of questionnaires have been developed to measure romantic jealousy, there is a lack of independent research that has substantiated their psychometric properties and minimal research that has tested and applied these measures in a consistent and reliable way. We aimed to address these gaps by providing the first validation study of an existing measure of romantic jealousy—the Multidimensional Jealousy Scale (MJS). The MJS was subjected to exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in two separate samples of individuals in romantic relationships of at least 2-months duration. A 17‐item Short‐Form MJS (SF‐MJS) was supported, with three factors representing cognitive, emotional, and behavioural jealousy. Internal reliabilities were high. Consistent evidence supported the discriminant and concurrent validity of the SF‐MJS. Overall, the current research provides a brief, validated measure of romantic jealousy for use in the general population. Potential clinical uses are discussed.

Experiencing and Communicating Romantic Jealousy: Questioning the Investment Model

Though researchers have investigated individual aspects of Rusbult's (1980) Investment Model of relational commitment in association with romantic jealousy, previous research had not employed the model as a theoretical framework for understanding variations in jealousy experience and expression within dating partnerships. Thus, the current research examined commitment, satisfaction, quality of alternatives, and investment in association with cognitive and emotional jealousy experience, and forms of jealousy expression. Mixed findings were observed for the bivariate associations between the investment model and jealousy variables. Further, the mediational role of commitment as specified by the investment model was not helpful in understanding jealousy experience and jealousy expression processes, with the sole exception of integrative communication. Implications for the study of romantic jealousy and the investment model are discussed in light of these findings.

Coupling Longitudinal Data and Multilevel Modeling to Examine the Antecedents and Consequences of Jealousy Experiences in Romantic Relationships: A Test of the Relational Turbulence Model

We used longitudinal data and multilevel modeling to examine how intimacy, relational uncertainty, and failed attempts at interdependence influence emotional, cognitive, and communicative responses to romantic jealousy, and how those experiences shape subsequent relationship characteristics. The relational turbulence model (Solomon & Knobloch, 2004) highlights how intimacy, relational uncertainty, and interference from partners influence and reflect reactions to events that occur within romantic relationships. Drawing from the theory, we predicted that (a) relational uncertainty and interference from partners are positively associated with cognitive and emotional jealousies; (b) the intensity of romantic jealousy, relational intimacy, and a partner’s interference is positively associated with the directness of communication about jealousy; (c) relational uncertainty is negatively associated with communicative directness; and (d) cognitive jealousy, emotional jealousy, and the directness of communicative responses to jealousy influence subsequent relationship characteristics. The results of the multilevel modeling revealed mixed support for our predictions. We explore the implications of this study for research on the relational turbulence model, relationship development, and jealousy.

The experience and expression of romantic jealousy in same‐sex and opposite‐sex romantic relationships

This study examines and compares how males and females in same‐sex and opposite‐sex romantic relationships experience and express romantic jealousy. Undergraduates at a large, southern university and visitors at a metropolitan Pride Celebration (N = 149) completed measures assessing cognitive and emotional jealousy experience, jealousy expression, and demographic information. The reported usage of two of Guerrero, Andersen, Jorgensen, Spitzberg, and Eloy's (1995) communicative responses to jealousy typology significantly varied by sexual orientation and sex. Specifically, gay males were significantly more likely to use violent communication/ threats than were heterosexual males. Further, lesbians reported using manipulation attempts to a significantly lesser degree than did heterosexual participants and gay males. In contrast, levels of cognitive and emotional jealousy experience did not significantly differ by sexual orientation or sex. Implications for these findings are presented in light of the broader study of close opposite‐sex and same‐sex romantic relationships.

Antecedents in romantic jealousy experience, expression, and goals

The present study seeks to examine biological sex, psychological gender, and relational type as antecedents in jealousy experience, expression, and goals. Data were collected from 334 individuals in romantic relationships. Results indicated that men experienced significantly more cognitive jealousy, while women were more likely to communicatively express their jealousy. Additionally, important gender differences in jealousy expression and goals were identified. Masculinity/instrumentality was positively associated with antisocial responses to jealousy, including distributive communication, signs of possession, violence, contacting the rival, and manipulation. Femininity/expressiveness was positively associated with the prosocial response of integrative communication, and negatively associated with antisocial responses of distributive communication, active distancing, avoidance, violent communication, threats, and manipulation. The study also compared the predictive ability of sex and gender in jealousy experience and expression. Sex was the superior predictor of cognitive jealousy experience, while gender was the superior predictor for three communicative responses to jealousy. Finally, relational type influenced jealousy expression and experience. Married individuals experienced and expressed the least jealousy, while casual daters experienced more cognitive jealousy than serious daters. Implications for future jealousy theory and research are discussed.

The role of relationship development and attachment in the experience of romantic jealousy

AbstractWe argue that a relationship development perspective is useful for understanding the experience of jealousy in romantic relationships In particular, we highlight relational uncertainty and intimacy as two indicators of relationship development that are likely to coincide with people's propensity to experience cognitive and emotional jealousy. Because recent theoretical insights about jealousy have stemmed from an attachment perspective, we also examined the extent to which people's attachment orientation predicted their experience of jealousy. We conducted a study in which 132 individuals involved in dating relationships reported on characteristics of themselves and their relationships. Consistent with our predictions, relational uncertainty was strongly tied to cognitive jealousy, and intimacy was closely linked to emotional jealousy. Also as expected, attachment anxiety exerted a direct positive effect on emotional jealousy. Taken together, these results shed light on how the experience of jealousy is associated with both relationship and individual characteristics.

Attachment‐style differences in the experience and expression of romantic jealousy

AbstractAccording to attachment theory, the attachment system is activated to manage thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that stem from potential separation and relational threat. Thus, jealousy provides an important situation in which to examine attachment‐style differences. In the present study, 144 individuals currently involved in enduring romantic relationships completed questionnaires regarding their jealousy experience, jealousy expression, and attachment styles. Four major findings emerged. First, those with negative self‐models reported experiencing more cognitive jealousy than did those with positive self‐models Second, jealous individuals with negative other‐models reported feeling fear less intensely, using less relationship‐maintaining behavior, and engaging in more avoidance/denial than did those with positive other‐models. Third, preoccupieds reported displaying more negative affect and engaging in more surveillance behavior than did those with other attachment styles. Finally, dismissives reported feeling less fear than did secures and preoccupieds, and less sadness than preoccupieds, when experiencing jealousy. Attachment‐style dimensions, such as lack of confidence and preoccupation with relationships, were also associated with jealousy experience and expression. These results are interpreted in light of attachment‐theory principles.

Romantic jealousy and relational satisfaction: A look at the impact of jealousy experience and expression

This study investigated the combined effects jealousy experience and expression have on relational satisfaction. A sample of 346 individuals currently involved in dating or marital relationships completed questionnaires. Results indicated that: (1) cognitive jealousy is a more potent predictor of relational satisfaction than emotional jealousy, (2) individuals who use integrative communication and/or expression of negative affect to communicate jealousy, while refraining from using distributive communication and/or active distancing, are most likely to be satisfied with their relationships, and (3) jealousy expression accounts for significantly more variance in relational satisfaction than jealousy experience alone.

Relational satisfaction and jealousy across marital types

This study investigated the effects of an individual's marital type (Traditional, Independent, Separate) on marital satisfaction and jealousy. Three significant findings emerged. First, Traditionals were found to be more satisfied with their marriages than Independents or Separates. Second, marital satisfaction was found to be negatively correlated with cognitive jealousy (r= ‐.64), behavioral jealousy (r = ‐.43) and emotional jealousy (r = ‐.31). Finally, Independents reported significantly more cognitive jealousy than Traditionals. Implications for the study of communication within intimate relationships are discussed.

Multidimensional Jealousy

Three studies were conducted to investigate the psychometric properties of the newly developed multidimensional jealousy scale (MJS), which provides separate assessments of cognitive, emotional and behavioural jealousy. Good reliability and validity data were obtained for the scale. It has high internal consistency, as well as a clear factor structure. The three components of jealousy correlate with established jealousy scales. The results also show that emotional jealousy is positively related to love, while cognitive jealousy is negatively related to love. All three components are negatively related to liking. Emotional and behavioural jealousy are negatively related to happiness. Thus, both convergent and discriminant validity are established. The MJS is useful in providing a clearer picture of the relationships between the components of jealousy and various psychological variables than traditional unidimensional measures of jealousy. Practical implications of the scale in detecting pathological jealousy are discussed.