Jealousy

Jealousy is a secondary emotion and typically refers to the negative thoughts and feelings of insecurity, fear, and anxiety over an anticipated loss of something that the person values, particularly in reference to a human connection. Jealousy often consists of a combination of presenting emotions such as anger, sadness, and disgust. It is not to be confused with envy.

Jealou Some claim that jealousy is seen in every culture; however, others claim jealousy is a culture-specific phenomenon.

Jealousy is often reinforced as a series of particularly strong emotions and constructed as a universal human experience; it has been a theme of many artistic works that seek to privilege monogamous discourses. Psychologists have proposed several models of the processes underlying jealousy and have identified factors that result in jealousy. Sociologists have demonstrated that cultural beliefs and values play an important role in determining what triggers jealousy and what constitutes socially acceptable expressions of jealousy. Biologists have identified factors that may unconsciously influence the expression of jealousy. Artists have explored the theme of jealousy in photographs, paintings, movies, songs, plays, poems, and books. Theologians have offered religious views of jealousy based on the scriptures of their respective faiths.

Gender differences in jealousy

According to the Parental Investment Model, more men than women ratify sex differences in jealousy. In addition, more women over men endorse emotional infidelity (fear of abandonment) as more distressing than sexual fidelity. Men’s primary goal is to pass down their genes through intercourse while women’s benefits stem from a selective process of choosing males based on survival potential. However, Women are innately guaranteed full percentage of their genes to be passed down which inadvertently creates jealousy for towards sexual infidelity as more distressing. According to research, sex, and attachment style makes significant and unique interactive contributions to the distress experienced. Security within the relationship also heavily contributed to one’s distress level. According to research, these findings imply that psychological and cultural mechanism regarding sex differences may play a larger role than expected (Levy,Blatt, Schachner.) Attachment theory also reveals how infant attachment patterns are the basis for a self-report measures of adult attachment. (Levy, Blatt & Shaner, 1998). Although there are no sex differences, in childhood attachment individuals with dismissing behavior was more concerned with the sexual aspect of relationships (Schachner & shaer, 2004). As a coping mechanism these individuals would report sexual infidelity as more harmful. Moreover, research shows that audit attachment styles strongly conclude with the type of infidelity that occurred. Thus psychological and cultural mechanisms are implied as unvarying differences in jealousy that play a role in sexual attachment. Jealousy and commitment: Perceived threat and the effect of relationship alternatives. By: Rydell, R. J., McConnell, A. R., & Bringle, R. G

Emotional jealousy was predicted to be nine times more responsive in females than in males. The emotional jealousy predicted in females also held turn to state that females experiencing emotional jealousy are more violent than men experiencing emotional jealousy. This correlates with some culture norms that the United States places on women, implying that they should be more emotionally responsive then males. For males society has associated emotion in males to be contained and not expressed in the ways that women tend to express their emotions. This social norm held true when males in a study choice to keep a level head and process and gather information before “talking it out.

Jealousy in long distance relationships

Long Distance Relationships aren’t uncommon in today’s society. Due to the technological advancements available, the avenue for taking this route is feasible. Research shows that Long Distance Relationships(LDR) are in a sense responsible for ones development not only emotionally but affects their overall being as well (Cohen 2004). One thing that is noteworthy is that LDR are surprisingly more stable than geographically close relationships. This conclusion was discovered by the Investment Model (IM) (Rusbult, Martz, and Agnew 1998). The Investment Model defined includes relationships that are pursuing to maintain the relationship despite difficulties or dissatisfaction (i.e. stable). Satisfaction is the primary predictor of commitment in the Investment Model. IM assures that this persistence (a characteristic of LDR) is felt psychologically as commitment, which in this case predicts relational persistence, for both long and short term relationships (Le & Agnew, 2003). Attachment and caregiving are important factors with in romantic relationships. Distance makes the heart grow is applicable in this case because theoretically, LDR separations trigger the attachment phenomenon. In secure attachment functioning, the person manages security by seeking proximity to the partner (Bowling, 1988). Research also suggest that the omission of the use of physical caregiving (e.g. hug)LDR partners rely on verbal (open) communication which later translates into cooperative caregiving. In GCR, effective caregiving was linked to martial satisfaction (Peeney, 1996) which uses physical cues. Research shows that a person can expect a committed LDR while the benefits from investments are relevant to commitment. Moreover the powerful effect created from the bond may illuminate LDR partners commitment and desire to maintain their relationships despite their proximity. Commitment Predictors: Long-Distance Versus Geographically Close Relationships. By: Pistole, M., Roberts, A., & Mosko, J. E.

Romantic jealousy

Romantic jealousy can be expressed in six antecedent factors. 1.sociobiological factors 2. cultural and historical factors 3. personality factors 4. relational factors 5. Situational factors and Strategic factors. Sociobiological factors deal with reproductive strategies. For males they can only ensure paternity by restricting the access or involvement of other males. Females are more inclined to find resources in a males to be more important than actual reproductive oppuranties. Males used the following tactics more than females; a. resource display b. mate concealment c. submission and debasement d. intersexual threats and violence. For cultural and historical factors males and females have similar states of emotions of jealousy as sociobiological factors. Personality Factors include a third party threat that in stores jealousy in both males and females . Personality factors also vary based on love styles. Relational factors as well as emotional factors have been found to vary on comparison levels of commitment to the relationship as well as investment and the level of alternatives in the relationship. Situational factors include critical events that may endorse jealousy in both males and females. Situational factors are very common and can be easily stimulated. Last is strategic factors which includes were “individuals are rarely aware of the sociobiological or cultural factors that promote a particular communication behavior”. Laura K Guerrero and Peter A. Anderson. Jealousy experience and Expression in Romantic Relationships

Theories

Scientific definitions

People do not express jealousy through a single emotion or a single behavior.They instead express jealousy through diverse emotions and behaviors, which makes it difficult to form a scientific definition of jealousy. Scientists still do not have a universally agreed upon definition of jealousy but instead define jealousy in their own words, as illustrated by the following examples:

"Romantic jealousy is here defined as a complex of thoughts, feelings, and actions which follow threats to self-esteem and/or threats to the existence or quality of the relationship, when those threats are generated by the perception of a real or potential attraction between one's partner and a (perhaps imaginary) rival." (White, 1981, p. 24)

"Jealousy, then, is any aversive reaction that occurs as the result of a partner's extradyadic relationship that is real, imagined, or considered likely to occur." (Bringle & Buunk, 1991, page 135)

"Jealousy is conceptualized as a cognitive, emotional, and behavioral response to a relationship threat. In the case of sexual jealousy, this threat emanates from knowing or suspecting that one's partner has had (or desires to have) sexual activity with a third party. In the case of emotional jealousy, an individual feels threatened by her or his partner's emotional involvement with and/or love for a third party." (Guerrero, Spitzberg, & Yoshimura, 2004, page 311)

"Jealousy is defined as a protective reaction to a perceived threat to a valued relationship, arising from a situation in which the partner's involvement with an activity and/or another person is contrary to the jealous person's definition of their relationship." (Bevan, 2004, page 195)

"Jealousy is triggered by the threat of separation from, or loss of, a romantic partner, when that threat is attributed to the possibility of the partner's romantic interest in another person." (Sharpteen & Kirkpatrick, 1997, page 628)

Different forms of jealousy

There are many different types of jealousy that the human body can experience. Jealousy can be seen in everyday activities and settings. Jealousy is an intense emotion that is associated with the loss of services or outcomes associated with other individuals. This intense emotion can been seen or experienced in family situations, at work, in romantic relationships and even between friends.

Sibling Rivalry -Sibling rivalry is a common form of family jealousy. Family jealousy can affect all ages and different members of any family. This jealousy can arise from lack of attention from a specific member in the family. More attention towards another member of the family can cause this emotion or the emotion can be seen through comparison to another member in the family. This type of jealousy is once again in result of losing some sort of attention or services that someone once had or that they believe that they had.

Workplace Jealousy -Jealousy in the work place is not uncommon. People can experience jealousy of one another in practically any setting that one person feels like they are losing services from something or someone else. This type of jealousy is often seen between colleagues in similar job positions. If one worker receives positive feedback from the boss while the other employee feels like they deserved that positive feedback jealousy can arise. Jealousy between colleagues can also arise if the employees are working for a raise or trying to outdo each other for similar job positions. Once again the attention received towards one employee and not the other may cause intense emotions of jealousy to develop.

Romantic Jealousy -Romantic jealousy can be experienced in long term or short term relationships. One partner can feel the emotion of jealousy arise if the other partner is paying more attention or time with someone else. To lose services from one partner and have their attention directed towards someone else does not have to be in a romantic way. One partner could be spending more time with a friend that no romantic feelings could ever develop.

Platonic Jealousy -Platonic jealousy is a form of jealousy that is seen in friendships. Platonic jealousy is similar to romantic jealousy in the way that this type of relationship can lead to jealousy in result of fear of being replaced, having competition or being compared to a third party. For example the intense emotion of jealousy can arise if two friends that are females deicide that they like the same guy and both want to possibly start a romantic relationship with him. Comparison and competition will more often than not lead to the two females experiencing the emotion of jealousy.

Definition and etymology

The word stems from the French jalousie, formed from jaloux (jealous), and further from Low Latin zelosus (full of zeal), in turn from the Greek word ζήλος (zēlos), sometimes "jealousy", but more often in a positive sense "emulation, ardour, zeal"  (with a root connoting "to boil, ferment"; or "yeast").

The color green is often associated with jealousy and envy, from which the expressions "green with envy", and "green-eyed monster" are derived.

In fiction, film, and art

A Japanese painting from 1750 shows a young man catching his lover reading a love letter from a rival.

Artistic depictions of jealousy occur in fiction, films, and other art forms such as painting and sculpture. Jealousy is the powerful complex of emotions experienced at the loss, real or imagined, of something or someone you believe is yours, whereas envy concerns what you do not have and would like to possess. In Shakespeare's play Othello, the title character is filled with jealousy at the thought of losing his beloved Desdemona: his ensign, Iago, is consumed with envy of Othello’s prestige. Because jealous lovers tell multiple stories about those who arouse their jealousy, and because the emotion is so corrosive, jealousy is a common theme in literature, art, theatre, and film.

In more modern films jealousy is still expressed as an emotion or loss of a real or imagined belief of something that a person once obtained. Some films that portray jealousy with the target audience being young children is Cinderella , Snow White and Toy Story . All three are Disney movies with a message of jealousy among characters. The movie Cinderella originated as a folk tale and was turned into a movie in 1950 by Walt Disney. The story line includes Lady Tremaine who is jealousy of her step daughter Cinderella because of the loss of attention that she receives from her husband when Cinderella is around.