The Impact of Romantic Attachment Styles on Jealousy in Young Adults.

Background: Romantic attachment is reflected in various aspects of dyadic interaction in a couple, since it is a self-reinforcing system of cognitive, emotional and behavioral patterns. Romantic jealousy was shown to be associated with dimensions of attachment insecurity in various studies worldwide. Objectives: To identify differences in expressions of romantic jealousy based on romantic attachment style. To determine the influence of attachment-related anxiety and attachment-related avoidance on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral jealousy. Design: The sample comprised 171 heterosexual individuals. The "Experiences in Close Relationships - Revised" questionnaire (ECR-R; Fraley, Waller, & Brennan, 2000; adapted for Russian by Chursina, 2022) and "Multidimensional Jealousy Scale" (MJS; Pfeiffer, & Wong, 1989) were used. Results: A number of significant differences were identified between insecure and secure attachment styles. Avoidant attachment is characterized by cognitive jealousy, ambivalent attachment is characterized by cognitive and behavioral jealousy, while dismissing attachment showed no significant differences in the manifestations of jealousy in comparison with secure attachment style. Emotional jealousy is equally characteristic of all types. The primacy of romantic attachment in relation to cognitive and behavioral jealousy was also proved. Conclusion: The experience of jealousy differs among romantic attachment styles. Attachment-related anxiety is a predictor of intrusive thoughts and behavioral manifestations of jealousy, while attachment-related avoidance is less, the greater the manifestation of jealousy behaviors.

Women's Romantic Jealousy Predicts Risky Appearance Enhancement Effort.

Human appearance enhancement effort has recently been considered from an evolutionary perspective as an adaptive and sexually dimorphic strategy for effective female intrasexual and intersexual competition. Most writing and research on the topic to date has focused on appearance enhancement as a means of mate attraction, with relatively less research examining its role in mate retention. The present study considered whether romantic jealousy, as a negative emotion experienced in response to perceived threat to a desired relationship, predicts costly and/or risky appearance enhancement independent of the closely related emotion of envy. In a sample of 189 undergraduate women, results showed that romantic jealousy and dispositional envy were positively correlated with one another. Results further demonstrated that romantic jealousy predicted women's positive attitude toward cosmetic surgery, willingness to use a one-week free tanning membership, willingness to use a risky diet pill, and intent on spending a greater proportion of their income on appearance enhancement, but not intended use of facial cosmetics. Results held independent of participants' dispositional envy, suggesting that romantic jealousy is a unique predictor of women's efforts at enhancing their physical appearance, which could extend into costly and physically risky mate retention efforts.

The role of gender and romantic jealousy in intimate partner violence against women, a mixed-methods study in Northern Ecuador.

Male romantic jealousy is a commonly cited driver of intimate partner violence against women. An in-depth, contextualised understanding of the pathways and mechanisms from jealousy to intimate partner violence is, however, needed to inform programmes and interventions. We triangulated data from 48 interviews, eight focus groups and 1216 survey findings from low-income married women and men in northern Ecuador. Male jealousy was associated with controlling behaviours (aOR: 14.47, 95% CI: 9.47, 22.12) and sexual intimate partner violence (aOR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.12, 5.12). Controlling behaviours were associated with physical and sexual intimate partner violence (aOR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.21, 3.84). Qualitatively we found that most respondents framed jealousy within a discourse of love, and three triggers of male jealousy leading to intimate partner violence were identified: (1) community gossip, which acted as a mechanism of community control over women's movements and sexuality; (2) women joining the labour force, which was quantitatively associated with intimate partner violence and partially mediated by jealousy; and (3) women's refusal to have sex, which could lead husbands to coerce sex through accusations of infidelity. Gender-transformative interventions at the individual, couple and community level providing models of alternative masculinities and femininities may offer promise in reducing intimate partner violence in Ecuador. Importantly, future economic empowerment interventions should address jealousy to mitigate potential intimate partner violence backlash.

Men's Reflections on Romantic Jealousy and Intimate Partner Violence in Mwanza, Tanzania.

Romantic jealousy is a prominent trigger for intimate partner violence. Yet, there are few studies on this relationship in sub-Saharan Africa and none captures men's perspectives. To expand the existing knowledge on romantic jealousy and its relation to intimate partner violence, our study analyzed 30 in-depth interviews with male participants. Triggers of romantic jealousy included suspicion or confirmed infidelity, reduced attention from their partners, and challenges to male supremacy. Men reported that intimate partner violence was a frequently used response to triggers of romantic jealousy. Social norms and inequitable gender norms were key underlying factors to all those triggers.

Validation study of the Italian brief version of the multidimensional jealousy scale: Psychometric properties, measurement invariance across gender, and convergent validity.

Introduction: The multidimensional jealousy scale (MJS) is among the most internationally used instruments for the assessment of jealousy in its three dimensions: cognitive, emotional, and behavioral. This study aimed to replicate the Italian validation process of the shortened MJS in order to confirm its psychometric properties and measurement invariance across gender. Materials and methods: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted in a large sample of adults (n = 2,928). To reliably estimate mean differences across gender, the measurement invariance of the scale was first established by means of CFA. Convergent validity was than tested by administrating the tool to a convenient sample (n = 304). Results: A 15-item version of the Italian MJS was retained in its three-factor structure. The tool showed good fit with both the CFA (χ2 = 211.827, CFI = 0.969, TLI = 0.959, RMSEA = 0.047, RMSEA 90% CI = 0.039-0.055) and the results confirmed the strong measurement invariance of the MJS across gender. The internal consistency measures were found to be fully satisfactory. Predictive associations with constructs such as avoidance and anxiety referred to attachment in relationships (ECR-R), obsessive jealousy, depressive jealousy, jealousy associated with separation anxiety, paranoid jealousy (QUEGE), and basic self-esteem (BSE) were confirmed. Discussion: The MJS is particularly apt to collect information quickly and efficiently about jealousy in a current relationship. The multidimensional and brief structure makes it particularly suitable for preliminary screening, couple therapy assessment, and research purposes.

Dependencia emocional, celos románticos y ciberviolencia en parejas jóvenes: vigilancia y control emocional / Emotional dependence, romantic jealousy and cyber violence in young couples: surveillance and control

Antecedentes: La dependencia emocional se sustenta sobre una visión desadaptativa e idealizada de la relación de pareja y de los mitos románticos y está vinculada al empleo de mecanismos de control y vigilancia. Se toleran así conductas inadecuadas que se ven agravadas por la minimización de los celos, relacionados, a su vez, con comportamientos de control reflejados en los entornos virtuales, especialmente entre los más jóvenes. Objetivo: Analizar la relación entre dependencia emocional, celos y ciberviolencia en parejas jóvenes. Método: Han participado 263 jóvenes con edades comprendidas entre los 18 y los 30 años (M = 22.86, DT = 2.71), de los cuales el 57.4 % son mujeres y con predominancia de estudios universitarios (68.8 %) y orientación heterosexual (85.9 %). Resultados: Se ha confirmado la existencia de relación entre la dependencia emocional, los celos y la ciberviolencia. Se ha hallado una mayor manifestación en hombres, participantes de entre 24 y 30 años, no universitarios, personas heterosexuales, con dos o más parejas esporádicas y una o ninguna pareja estable. Conclusiones: La dependencia emocional es un factor de relevancia en las manifestaciones de celos y ciberviolencia en parejas jóvenes. (AU)

Background: Emotional dependence is based on a maladaptive and idealized vision of the couple’s relationship and romantic myths and linked to the use of control and surveillance mechanisms. Inappropriate behaviors that are aggravated by jealousy minimization are tolerated, relationed also with control comportments that are reflexeted in virtual spaces, specially between youths.Objective: To analyze the relationship between emotional dependence, jealousy and cyber violence in young couples. Method: 263 young people between the ages of 18 and 30 (M = 22.86, SD = 2.71) participated, of which 57.4 % are women and with a predominance of university studies (68.8 %) and heterosexual orientation (85.9 %). Results: The results determined the existence of a relation between emotional dependence, jealousy and cyberviolence. A higher representation was found in men, participants between 24 and 30 years old, not university students, heterosexuals, with two or more sporadic relationships and one or non stable relationship. Conclusions: Emotional dependence is a relevant factor in the manifestations of jealousy and cyber violence in young couples.

Displacement, Polygyny, Romantic Jealousy, and Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Study among Somali Refugees in Ethiopia.

Romantic jealousy is a well-known relational driver of intimate partner violence (IPV), but is under-studied among displaced and polygynous populations. This study aimed to explore factors that elicit jealousy among Somali refugees in the Bokolmayo Refugee camp in Ethiopia, and the pathways leading from jealousy to IPV against women and men, to inform interventions. We conducted an exploratory, thematic analysis of 30 in-depth interviews with both women and men who were Somali refugees, as well as elders and religious leaders, organizational and service providers, policy makers, and host community members. We found that jealousy experienced by women was elicited by an unequal distribution of money and affection between co-wives, which was exacerbated by displacement-related economic hardship, and women in monogamous partnerships suspecting their husband of having other relationships. The jealousy experienced by men was elicited by their wives' increased financial independence and interactions with other men when working outside of the home, which became more common because of displacement-related economic hardship and relaxed patriarchal gender norms. IPV interventions should address jealousy and controlling behaviors in all relationship types. Addressing conflict and relationship dynamics in polygynous households and in humanitarian settings may require specialized content, acknowledging the complex interactions and resource allocation between co-wives. Gender-transformative interventions that move away from masculinities that are built on the provider role and the introduction of alternative masculinities could also be effective in reducing IPV in this and other similar contexts.

Intranasal oxytocin may help maintain romantic bonds by decreasing jealousy evoked by either imagined or real partner infidelity.

BACKGROUND: While romantic jealousy may help to maintain relationships, following partner infidelity and an irretrievable loss of trust it can also promote break-ups. The neuropeptide oxytocin can enhance the maintenance of social bonds and reduce couple conflict, although its influence on jealousy evoked by imagined or real infidelity is unclear. AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the effects of intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) on romantic jealousy in both males and females in imagined and real contexts. METHODS: Seventy heterosexual couples participated in this double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-subject design study. Jealousy was firstly quantified in the context of subjects imagining partner infidelity and secondly in a Cyberball game where their partner interacted preferentially with an opposite-sexed rival stranger to simulate partner exclusion, or rejected a neutral stranger but not the partner. RESULTS: Oxytocin primarily decreased jealousy and arousal ratings towards imagined emotional and sexual infidelity by a partner in both sexes. During the Cyberball game, while male and female subjects in both groups subsequently threw the ball least often to the rival stranger, under oxytocin they showed reduced romantic jealousy and arousal ratings for stranger players, particularly the rival one, and reported reduced negative and increased positive feelings while playing the game. CONCLUSIONS: Together, our results suggest that oxytocin can reduce the negative emotional impact of jealousy in established romantic partners evoked by imagined or real infidelity or exclusive social interactions with others. This provides further support for oxytocin promoting maintenance of relationships.

A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review: Infidelity, Romantic Jealousy and Intimate Partner Violence against Women.

Infidelity and romantic jealousy (RJ) are commonly cited relational level drivers of intimate partner violence (IPV) but remain undertheorized and underutilized in IPV research and prevention. This global systematic review aims to characterize the existing research on real or suspected infidelity and RJ in relation to IPV and inform future research and programming. We systematically searched 11 databases for peer-reviewed research, published between April 2009 and 2019, that provided data on the prevalence or a measure of association (quantitative), or pathway (qualitative), between real or suspected infidelity or RJ, and IPV. Fifty-one papers from 28 countries were included and the evidence showed a consistent association between real or suspected infidelity, RJ and IPV. Our findings identify three overarching mechanisms and six pathways between infidelity, RJ and IPV. These provide support for prominent theories in the field related to patriarchal culture, threatened masculinities and femininities and a lack of emotional regulation and conflict resolution skills, but not evolutionary theories. Our findings suggest that researchers should use standardized measurement tools that make the distinction between RJ and suspected, confirmed and accusations of infidelity. Policy and programming should aim to transform traditional gender roles, accounting for infidelity and RJ and improving couple's communication and trust.

Evaluación de la asociación entre el estilo de apego parental y los celos románticos en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios colombianos / Evaluation of the association between the style of parental attachment and the romantic jealouses in a colombian college student sample

Resumen El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar la relación entre el estilo de apego parental y los celos románticos en un grupo de jóvenes universitarios colombianos entre los 18 y 25 años. Participaron de manera voluntaria 614 jóvenes, 421 mujeres (69%) y 193 hombres (31%), con una relación de pareja vigente de más de seis meses de duración. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron el Inventario de Apego con Padres y Pares (IPPA, Armsden y Greenberg, 1987, adaptada por Rocha, Benítez, De-Irala, sin publicar), con el cual se evaluó el apego parental con respecto a su cuidador primario, y la Escala Interpersonal de Celos (Mathes y Severa, 1981, adaptada por Martínez-León, Mathes, Avendaño, Peña y Sierra, 2018) con la cual se midieron los celos románticos en la relación de pareja de los participantes. Los resultados mostraron que en la variable estrato socioeconómico nivel medio (estratos 3 y 4) existe una relación significativa (p = .023) la cual indica que, en esta muestra específica, el estilo de apego parental está asociado con el nivel de los celos románticos en la relación de pareja.

Abstract The objective of the present study is to analyze the relationship between parental attachment style and romantic jealousy in a group of Colombian students between 18 and 25 years old. Volunteers participated 614 young people, 421 (69%) women and 193 (31%) men, with a current relationship of more than six months. The instruments used were the Inventory of Attachment with Parents and Peers (IPPA, Armsden y Greenberg, 1987, adapted by Rocha, Benítez, De-Irala, unpublished), with which assessed parental attachment with respect to their primary caregiver, and the Interpersonal Scale of Jealousy (Mathes & Severa, 1981, adapted by Martínez-León, Mathes, Avendaño, Peña and Sierra, 2018), with which was measured romantic jealousy in the couple's relationship of the participants. The results showed that in the variable socioeconomic mid-level (strata 3 and 4) there is a significant relationship (p = .023) which indicates that, in this specific sample, the Parental attachment style is associated with the level of romantic jealousy in the couple's relationship.

Funções de Estímulos Pré-experimentais na Formação de Classes de Equivalência / Pre-experimental Stimuli Functions in Equivalence Class Formation

Resumo Relações condicionais pré-experimentais que eliciam respostas emocionais, como ciúme, podem afetar a formação de classes de equivalência? Haveria diferenças entre homens e mulheres? Para abordar essas questões, 19 participantes, de ambos os sexos, foram expostos a treinos e testes para a formação de quatro classes de equivalência, uma delas constituída pelo nome do(a) namorado(a), o nome de mulher/homem desconhecida(o) e duas figuras não-familiares. Após os testes, aplicou-se a Escala de Ciúme Romântico. Os participantes classificados com maior grau de ciúme não formaram as classes de equivalência, independentemente de serem homens ou mulheres. Sugere-se que relações pré-experimentais com funções afetivas interferiram na formação das classes de equivalência em que o nome do namorado(a) deveria ser relacionado ao nome de desconhecido(a).

Abstract Can pre-experimental conditional relations that elicit emotional responses, such as jealousy, affect the formation of equivalence classes? Would there be differences between men and women? To address these questions, 19 participants of both sexes were exposed to training and testing of the formation of four equivalence classes, one consisting of the boyfriend's/girlfriend's name, an unknown woman's/man's name, and two unfamiliar figures. After the tests, the Romantic Jealousy Scale was applied. Participants classified as having a higher degree of jealousy did not form equivalence classes regardless of whether they were men or women. It is suggested that pre-experimental relations with affective functions interfere in the formation of equivalence classes in which the boyfriend's/girlfriend's name should be related to the unknown woman's/man's name.

Psychometric Study of the Interpersonal Jealousy Scale in Colombian Samples / Estudio psicométrico de la Interpersonal Jealousy Scale en muestras colombianas

Abstract Romantic jealousy is one of the most complex emotions people experience in their relationships; people may reach high levels of violence as a result of pathological jealousy. This paper sought to adapt to Spanish language use and examine the psychometric properties of the Interpersonal Jealousy Scale (IJS). This scale evaluates the negative emotion resulting from actual or threatened loss of a loved one to a rival. We used a Colombian sample of 603 Colombian adults (59,03% women). Factor models were tested by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), in order to confirm the stability of the internal structure of the scale. The CFA supported the robustness of a one-dimensional structure with 18 items. Good internal consistency and evidence of external validity were found, as well as adequate adjustment parameters under the item response theory. In the analysis of the differential functioning of the items by sex, five items measured the different latent trait in men and women. The data indicate that the revised Spanish version of the IJS is a useful instrument to assess romantic jealousy.

Resumen Los celos románticos son una de las emociones más complejas de las personas en sus relaciones de pareja, que se asocian a altos niveles de violencia cuando se vuelven patológicos. El objetivo del estudio fue adaptar al español y examinar las propiedades psicométricas de la Interpersonal Jealousy Scale (IJS), la cual evalúa la emoción negativa resultante de una actual o amenazante pérdida del amado por un rival. Se empleó una muestra colombiana de 603 adultos colombianos (59,03% mujeres). Se sometieron a prueba mediante Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio (AFC) tres modelos factoriales con el fin de corroborar la estructura interna de la escala. El AFC apoyó la robustez de una estructura unidimensional con 18 ítems. Se obtuvieron adecuados índices de consistencia interna y evidencias externas de validez, al igual que adecuados parámetros de ajuste bajo la teoría de respuesta al ítem. En el análisis del funcionamiento diferencial de los ítems por sexo, cinco ítems midieron el rasgo latente diferente en hombres y mujeres. Los resultados indican que la IJS es un instrumento útil para evaluar celos románticos.

Construcción y Análisis Estadístico del Inventario Multidimensional de Celos Románticos: estudio Preliminar

Con el objetivo de construir y validar una prueba para medir propiedades de los celos románticos, se desarrolló el Inventario Multidimensional de Celos Románticos (IMCR) desde tres ejes: 1) su conceptualización, 2) circunstancias que lo generan y 3) respuestas cognitivas, afectivas y conductuales involucradas. El IMCR está constituido por cinco escalas tipo Likert con sus respectivas opciones de respuesta. Se acudió a juicio de expertos para la validez de contenido y por análisis factoriales exploratorios para la validez de constructo de cada escala, presentando coeficientes de confiabilidad superiores a (α > .873). Por esto, el IMCR tiene una estructura relativamente clara con dimensiones en parte independientes y que miden con razonable precisión los tres ejes; concluyendo que los celos románticos son un constructo multidimensional con respuestas afectivas, cognitivas y conductuales desencadenadas a partir de una situación que representa la posible pérdida de la pareja.

Aiming to construct and validate a test to measure jealousy, the Multidimensional Inventory of Romantic Jealousy (MIRJ) was developed from three axes: 1) conceptualization, 2) conditions that generate romantic jealousy and 3) cognitive, affective and behavioral responses involved. The MIRJ consists of five Likert scales with five response options each. The inventory was validated by expert judgment on the content validity and exploratory factor analysis to construct the validity of each scale, showing higher reliability coefficients (α> 0.85). MIRJ has a fairly clear structure with independent dimensions that measure with reasonable accuracy the three axes. In Conclusion, romantic jealousy is a multidimensional construct with affective, cognitive and behavioral responses, triggered from a situation that represents the possible loss of a partner.

Equivalência de estímulos e ciúme: efeito de história pré-experimental / Stimulus equivalence and jealousy: effect of pre-experimental history

A formação de classes de estímulos equivalentes tem sido usada como modelo experimental para investigar uma série de fenômenos comportamentais, tais como o desenvolvimento de comportamento simbólico e a transferência de funções que os eventos ambientais adquirem por meio de relações condicionais. O objetivo deste estudo consistiu em analisar o efeito de estímulos com alto grau afetivo pré-experimentalmente constituído, na formação de classes de equivalência estabelecidas em contexto experimental, quando as relações emergentes podem se caracterizar por um conflito na escolha dos estímulos. Participaram 17 estudantes universitários que foram submetidos ao procedimento de escolha de acordo com modelo e aos testes das relações emergentes, para formar quatro classes de equivalência com quatro estímulos cada. Verificou-se que 10 dos 17 participantes formaram as classes equivalentes e observou-se correlação positiva entre o desempenho no Teste de Equivalência e o escore na Escala de Ciúme Romântico, sugerindo que a história pré-experimental referente ao envolvimento afetivo interferiu no desempenho dos participantes. O efeito de interferência provavelmente é devido ao conflito entre contingências: uma que controla o responder diante de relações condicionais pré-experimentalmente estabelecidas, envolvendo estímulos com alto valor afetivo, e outra estabelecida no contexto experimental.

The formation of stimulus equivalence classes has been used as an experimental model to investigate a series of behavioral phenomena, such as the development of symbolic behavior and transfer of functions that environmental events acquire through conditional relations. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of stimuli with high pre-experimentally constituted affective grade in the formation of equivalence classes established in an experimental context, when the emergent relations can be characterized by a conflict in choosing stimuli. Participants were 17 college students exposed to matching to sample procedure and the tests of emergent relations to form four equivalence classes with four stimuli each. The results showed that 10 out of 17 participants formed equivalence classes, and positive correlation was observed between the performance on the Equivalence Test and the score on the Romantic Jealousy Scale, suggesting that the pre-experimental history related to emotional involvement interfered with participants' performance. The interference effect is probably due to the conflict between contingencies: one that controls responses to pre-experimentally established conditional relations involving stimuli with high emotional value, and another one, established in the experimental setting.

The Price of Distrust: Trust, Anxious Attachment, Jealousy, and Partner Abuse.

Trust is essential to the development of healthy, secure, and satisfying relationships (Simpson, 2007a). Attachment styles provide a theoretical framework for understanding how individuals respond to partner behaviors that either confirm or violate trust (Hazan & Shaver, 1994). The current research aimed to identify how trust and attachment anxiety might interact to predict different types of jealousy and physical and psychological abuse. We expected that when experiencing lower levels of trust, anxiously attached individuals would report higher levels of both cognitive and behavioral jealousy as well as partner abuse perpetration. Participants in committed romantic relationships (N = 261) completed measures of trust, attachment anxiety and avoidance, jealousy, and physical and psychological partner abuse in a cross-sectional study. Moderation results largely supported the hypotheses: Attachment anxiety moderated the association between trust and jealousy, such that anxious individuals experienced much higher levels of cognitive and behavioral jealousy when reporting lower levels of trust. Moreover, attachment anxiety moderated the association between trust and nonphysical violence. These results suggest that upon experiencing distrust in one's partner, anxiously attached individuals are more likely to become jealous, snoop through a partner's belongings, and become psychologically abusive. The present research illustrates that particularly for anxiously attached individuals, distrust has cascading effects on relationship cognitions and behavior, and this should be a key area of discussion during therapy.

Changing me to keep you: state jealousy promotes perceiving similarity between the self and a romantic rival.

Individuals sometimes alter their self-views to be more similar to others--traditionally romantic partners--because they are motivated to do so. A common motivating force is the desire to affiliate with a partner. The current research examined whether a different motivation--romantic jealousy--might promote individuals to alter their self-views to be more similar to a romantic rival, rather than a partner. Romantic jealousy occurs when individuals perceive a rival as a threat to their relationship and motivates individuals to defend their relationship. We proposed that one novel way that individuals might defend their relationship is by seeing themselves as more similar to a perceived romantic rival. We predicted individuals would alter their self-views to be more similar to a rival that they believed their partner found attractive. Importantly, we predicted that state romantic jealousy would motivate these self-alterations. Three studies confirmed these hypotheses.

Ciúme romântico: um breve histórico, perspectivas, concepções correlatadas e seus desdobramentos para os relacionamentos amorosos / Romantic Jealousy: A Brief Historical, Views, Correlated Conceptions and Their Correlated Developments to the Love Relatioships

O que é o ciúme? Há uma história para ele? Desde a Antiguidade, encontramos diversos autores e entendimentos que se focaram nestas questões. Infelizmente, o que se observa na prática é que as produções teóricas enfocam quase que exclusivamente o aspecto clínico, psiquiátrico e 'individual' do ciúme, como se fosse possível isolar o indivíduo do seu contexto que, não apenas o cerca como comumente se acredita, mas que, mais do que isso, o constitui. A proposta deste artigo, enquanto uma revisão bibliográfica, tenta promover um debate, bem como analisar o reflexo do ciúme para os relacionamentos amorosos cotidianos. Para tanto, buscamos responder a seguinte questão: de que maneira o sentimento do ciúme, presente em algumas relações amorosas entre homens e mulheres, pode ser compreendido diante das transformações pelas quais vem passando a sociedade e das características que vem assumindo a convivência amorosa na contemporaneidade? O que se observou por meio de tal levantamento é que o ciúme não é uma experiência contemporânea. Ao contrário, ele é um sentimento antigo, atemporal, que atravessa diferentes épocas e contextos da história do ser humano.

What is jealousy? Is there a story for it? Since ancient times we find countless authors and understandings that have focused on these issues. Unfortunately, what can really be observed is that the theoretical understandings focuses almost entirely on the clinical, psychiatric and 'individual' aspects of jealousy, as if it were possible to isolate the individual from its context that not only surrounds it as it is commonly believed but, more than that, constitutes it. The purpose of this article, while being a bibliographic review, is to promote a debate and analyze the impacts of jealousy over the everyday love relationships. For this, we seek to answer the following question: in which way jealousy, present in some relationships between men and women, can be understood in face of the transformations that society is undergoing and of the characteristics of contemporary amorous coexistence? Such survey observed that jealousy is not a contemporary experience. On the contrary, it is an ancient feeling, timeless, which follows through different ages and contexts of the human history.

Romantic attachment and subtypes/dimensions of jealousy.

The present study explored the possible relationship between romantic attachment and jealousy in 100 healthy subjects. The romantic attachment and jealousy were evaluated by means of, respectively, the "Experiences in Close Relationships" questionnaire (ECR), and the "Questionario della Gelosia" (QUEGE). The ECR anxiety scale was related to all QUEGE dimensions, while the ECR avoidance scale to three. Individuals with the preoccupied attachment style showed higher scores than secure subjects on the obsessionality, interpersonal sensitivity and fear of loss dimensions. Fearful-avoidant individuals had higher score than secure subjects on the fear of loss dimension only, while dismissing individuals had lower scores on the self-esteem dimension.These findings suggest that romantic attachment and jealousy are intertwined.

Romantic jealousy in early adulthood and in later life.

Young men are more distressed by a partner's sexual infidelity, whereas young women are more distressed by a partner's emotional infidelity. The present research investigated (a) whether the sex difference in jealousy replicates in an older sample, and (b) whether younger people differ from older people in their selection of the more distressing infidelity scenario. We presented forced-choice dilemmas to 202 older people (mean age = 67 years) and to 234 younger people (mean age = 20 years). The sex difference replicated in the older sample. In addition, older women were less likely than younger women to select a partner's emotional infidelity as more distressing than a partner's sexual infidelity. Discussion offers directions for future work on sex differences and age differences in jealousy.