DIFFERENTIATING REACTIVE AND SUSPICIOUS JEALOUSY

Abstract

In contrast to viewing jealousy as a unitary construct, this research differentiates jealousy into reactive (emotional components of jealousy) and suspicious jealousy (cognitive and behavioral components of jealousy), for which manifestations and antecedents differ. Besides finding that reactive and suspicious jealousy could be delineated, the results of two studies found evidence for discriminant validity and that greater reactive jealousy was related to greater relationship dependency, greater trust, and lower chronic jealousy. Persons who displayed more suspicious jealousy had greater insecurity, greater anxious attachment, greater avoidant attachment, greater chronic jealousy, and lower self-esteem. This research is consistent with a transactional model of jealousy.