Jealousy in Adulthood

There is no doubt that jealousy is a source of great personal misery and an emotion with far-reaching social consequences. For example, jealousy is frequently implicated as a factor in relationship dissolution, spousal abuse and even murder (Daly & Wilson, 1988; Harris, 2003a). Despite its destructive side, jealousy also may have some positive effects for individuals and relationships. For example, it alerts one to relationship threats and can motivate behaviors that protect the relationship. This chapter will focus on jealousy in adulthood, particularly as it occurs in romantic relationships, given that this is the area that has received the most empirical attention. We begin with a discussion of theoretical approaches and conceptual debates on the nature and function of jealousy. The next sections cover factors that impact the elicitation, experience, and expression of jealousy including adult attachment styles, relationship variables, attributional processes, rival characteristics, and gender. We also examine jealousy at its most dire, including jealousy-inspired homicide and pathological jealousy. We then discuss empirical challenges faced by the field and present some new studies that actively elicit jealousy in the laboratory.