Waking the Green-Eyed Monster: Attachment Styles and Jealousy Induction in Romantic Relationships DIANE WHITSON Although the majority of individuals involved in romantic relationships report having experienced jealousy, relatively little research has examined what factors Saint Louis University lead individuals to attempt to induce jealousy in their romantic partners. We examined how adult attachment is related to individuals’ jealousy-induction * BRENT A. MATTINGLY tendencies. Results indicated that (a) jealousy-induction was positively related to both attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance, (b) specific attachment styles Ashland University (i.e., secure, preoccupied, dismissing, fearful) were not associated with more or fewer jealousy-inducing behaviors, and (c) women tend to induce jealousy more than men. Because jealousy is negatively associated with relationship satisfaction, these findings suggest that insecurely attached individuals’ behaviors may actually be counterproductive in that they are unintentionally making their partners less happy with the relationship. any people can think of a friend or previous have paternal uncertainty (i.e., they are never guaran- romantic partner who has purposely induced teed that a woman’s child is truly their offspring), there Mjealousy in a partner. Because jealousy can is a risk that they might invest valuable resources in have negative outcomes on romantic relationships, it raising another man’s child. As such, they experience would be fruitful to understand why individuals would jealousy when their partner engages in sexual infidelity. desire to deliberately make partners jealous. However, However, women are certain of their maternal status. previous research on jealousy has focused on individuals What is more important, then, is that they obtain and who experience or express jealousy, linking it to both maintain the valued resources of the man so that their commitment and attachment style. Therefore, little child has the greatest chance of surviving. If their part- is known about the factors associated with individuals ner were to fall in love with another woman, they would who intentionally induce jealousy in their partners. In risk losing the partner’s resources. As such, women this study, we sought to identify some of the personal experience jealousy when their partner becomes emo- variables associated with such individuals. tionally involved with another woman (Buss, Larsen, According to White (1981), romantic jealousy is: Westen, & Semmelroth, 1992). a complex of thoughts, feelings, and actions Previous research linked the experience and which follow threats to … the existence or expression of jealousy to a variety of relational qualities. quality of the relationship, when those threats For example, jealous individuals tend to be more com- are generated by the perception of a real or mitted to their relationships (e.g., Rydell, McConnell, & potential attraction between one’s partner and Bringle, 2004), perceive themselves as possessing poor a (perhaps imaginary) rival. (p. 24) alternatives to the current relationship (Hansen, 1985), and are less satisfied with their relationships (e.g., In order for jealousy to occur, individuals must Guerrero & Eloy, 1992). Additionally, research suggests desire to protect their relationships with partners who that jealousy correlates with individual characteristics, they perceive as possessing (Fleischmann, Spitzberg, specifically adult attachment styles (Guerrero, 1998). Anderson, & Roesch, 2005). Guerrero (1998) further described jealousy as the two interrelated processes of Adult Attachment Styles experience (i.e., cognitive assessments and emotional Individuals form emotional attachment bonds with reactions) and expression (i.e., actions and inter- others that influence relational behaviors throughout personal communication). Evolutionary psychology the course of their life. Attachment consists of two main further posits that jealousy exists as a way of ensuring reproductive success (e.g., Buss, 2000). Because men * Faculty mentor 24 PSI CHI JOURNAL OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEAR C H | SP RING 2010 Copyright 2010 by Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology (Vol. 15, No. 1/ISSN 1089-4136) Whitson and Mattingly | JEALOUSY INDU C TION IN RO M ANTI C RELATIONSHI P S dimensions: attachment anxiety and attachment avoid- maintaining behaviors, and are more likely to avoid ance (Brennan, Clark, & Shaver, 1998). Attachment expressing jealousy to their partner. Preoccupied anxiety is influenced by viewing the self as worthy of individuals experience the greatest negative affect and love and support or not, and researchers have con- engage in more surveillance behaviors of their partner, ceptualized it in terms of dependency or anxiety over whereas dismissive individuals feel less fear and sadness abandonment. Individuals high in attachment anxiety than individuals low in attachment avoidance (Guer- require the external validation of others to maintain rero, 1998). Overall, these results indicate that high positive self-regard. Attachment avoidance is influenced attachment anxiety, particularly when coupled with low by individuals’ view of others as trustworthy and avail- attachment avoidance (i.e., preoccupied attachment able or unreliable and rejecting, and researchers have style), is most strongly related to jealousy. Due to their conceptualized it in terms of comfort or discomfort dependency and strong need to maintain relationships, with intimacy. Individuals high in attachment avoidance preoccupied individuals are more likely to engage in avoid contact with others due to the expectation that restorative behaviors. others are untrustworthy and rejecting. Attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance can Jealousy Induction combine to result in a four-style model of attachment Although considerable research has focused on the similar to that proposed by Bartholomew (1990) and characteristics of individuals experiencing jealousy, Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991). Securely attached some individuals purposely evoke feelings of jealousy individuals (low in both anxiety and avoidance) possess in their partners. Although relatively little research a sense of worthiness and an expectation that others are has examined jealousy induction, there is evidence accepting and responsive. Therefore, securely attached that both women and men report purposely inducing individuals are comfortable with intimacy, autonomy, jealousy, although women induce jealousy at higher and interdependence. Preoccupied individuals (high rates than men (White, 1980). More recent research anxiety and low avoidance) have a sense of unworthi- suggests that this behavior is more common than previ- ness yet strive for the acceptance of others. Therefore, ously thought – more than 84% of participants in one preoccupied individuals are obsessed with relation- study reported using a jealousy-inducing behavior on ships, are vigilant toward any threat to the relationship, one or more occasion (Brainerd, Hunter, Moore, & experience higher levels of interpersonal distress, and Thompson, 1996). Individuals induce jealousy as a reach out to others to fulfill dependency needs. Dis- means of satisfying two broad goals: (a) to improve missing individuals (low anxiety and high avoidance) the relationship, boost self-esteem, and increase the have a sense of worthiness but view others as untrust- positive outcomes (e.g., satisfaction) from a relation- worthy; dismissing individuals are counter-dependent ship and (b) to punish and control a partner and seek and uninterested in intimacy. Therefore, dismissing revenge (Fleischmann et al., 2005). Furthermore, White individuals report excessive coldness and, instead of a (1980) identified five more specific motives for induc- desire to develop attachments, they view themselves as ing jealousy: increasing relational rewards, bolstering self-sufficient.Fearful individuals (high in both anxiety self-esteem, testing the relationship, seeking revenge, and avoidance) have a sense of unworthiness and view and punishing the partner. Although men and women others as untrustworthy and rejecting; fearful individu- most frequently reported inducing jealousy to test the als are afraid of intimacy and socially avoidant of others. relationship, seek revenge, and bolster their self-esteem Therefore, fearful individuals experience higher levels (Fleischmann et al., 2005; White, 1980), additional of interpersonal distress and fear rejection. research has identified other motives for inducing jeal- ousy, including the desire to achieve positive relational Jealousy and Attachment Styles outcomes (e.g., mate retention; Sheets, Fredendall, & Because jealousy arises from a distressing and threat- Claypool, 1997), to enhance the perception of relation- ening situation, it is likely to activate the attachment ship security and quality (Barelds & Barelds-Dijkstra, system in order to manage the feelings and behaviors 2007), to increase one’s sense of power and control in that stem from relational threat and potential separa- the relationship (e.g., Brainerd et al., 1996; Bringle, tion (Simpson & Rholes, 1994). Research (e.g., Guer- Renner, Terry, & Davis, 1983), and to behave aggres- rero, 1998) suggests an association between jealousy sively (Brainerd et al., 1996). and attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. In addition to the five motives identified, White Individuals high in attachment anxiety experience (1980) also identified five techniques or behaviors