Testing and Refining a Consequence Model of Jealousy Across Relational Contexts and Jealousy Expression Messages

An empirically tested model of an individual’s cognitive and emotional consequences to a close relational partner’s jealousy expression is described and tested. Specifically, general partner uncertainty, relational uncertainty, negative jealousy-related emotion, and rumination are examined in concert with one another as consequences of partner jealousy expression. Path modeling techniques reveal that one of two competing consequence models of jealousy fit the data: Upon partner jealousy expression, the jealous target first experiences general partner uncertainty, which leads to relational uncertainty, which leads to rumination, which finally leads to negative jealousy-related emotion. This model spans both close relationship types and specific methods of jealousy expression. Implications of this model for the theoretical pursuit of jealousy research are discussed.