A model of romantic jealousy

A definition of romantic jealousy is offered and imbedded within a general coping framework. Published and unpublished research is reviewed and then ordered within this framework. It is suggested that viewing jealousy as a thing like an emotion (anger), a behavior (competitive rivalry), or thoughts (desires for exclusivity) is incomplete. Jealousy is viewed as a label given to a complex of interrelated emotional, cognitive, and behavioral processes. New research is presented that suggests that jealousy is related to certain features of romantic relationships.The author wishes to thank Melissa Jaffee, Kathy Kephart, and Donna Schwartzman for their help in administering and scoring the questionnaires. Computer time for data analysis was donated by the Computer Science Center of the University of Maryland.