JEALOUSY AND THE CHARACTERISTICS OF ONES RIVAL - A SELF-EVALUATION MAINTENANCE PERSPECTIVE

Two studies provided support for a model of jealousy based on self-eva luation maintenance (SEM) theory. Participants were presented with a s eries of rivals for their partners' attentions; descriptions of the ri vals were designed to vary along dimensions thought to be important to participants' self-definitions. In accord with SEM theory, greater je alousy was reported when the domain of a rival's achievements was also a domain of high self-relevance to the participant. In addition, wome n, to a greater degree than men, considered the desires of their roman tic partners in identifying rivals who evoked jealousy, suggesting sex differences in the impact of relationship partners on domains of self -definition.