An inventory and update of jealousy-evoking partner behaviours in modern society

Clin Psychol Psychother. 2010 Jul-Aug;17(4):329-45. doi: 10.1002/cpp.668.

Abstract

The goal of the present study was to identify the most important jealousy-evoking partner behaviours and to examine the extent to which these behaviours evoke jealousy. Based on the literature, a questionnaire was constructed containing 42 jealousy-evoking partner behaviours, including a partner's extra-dyadic involvement with someone else by means of modern communication devices, such as the Internet. A second study examined the extent to which undergraduates and a community sample experienced jealousy in response to these partner behaviours. Results showed that explicit unfaithful behaviours evoked most feelings of jealousy, followed by a partner's emotional or romantic involvement with someone else by means of modern communication devices. In general, older individuals responded with less jealousy in response to a partner's unfaithful and suspicious behaviours. Clinical implications are discussed.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Electronic Mail
  • Erotica
  • Extramarital Relations / psychology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internet
  • Jealousy*
  • Male
  • Marital Therapy / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Periodicals as Topic
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data*
  • Psychometrics
  • Sex Factors
  • Social Behavior*
  • Spouses / psychology*
  • Students / psychology
  • Television
  • Young Adult