Analysis: How Would You Define Jealousy?

1) How would you define jealousy?

Results:
3 participants used the word ‘envy’ in their answer.
5 participants said that it was an emotion or feeling.
15 participants defined it as wanting something; (you can’t have – 4pps),
(someone else has – 14pps)
1 participant described it as not liking someone.
Anger and not trusting people was also mentioned.
A typical answer: ‘wanting something someone else has’

(Dictionary definition:
Jealousy is an emotion and typically refers to the negative thoughts and feelings of insecurity, fear, and anxiety over an anticipated loss of something that the person values, such as a relationship, friendship, or love.)

Analysis:
I used this question to get people thinking about jealousy. Everyone has experienced jealousy, however no one has given the correct definition. This may be because I asked you the participants definition of it so they have given their own view and may believe the real definition to be different.

Background Research: Buunk

Buunk (1982) examined the ways people cope with their spouses' extramarital relationships and identified three strategies:
Avoidance (of the spouse),
e.g. possibility of leaving the spouse and retreating
Reappraisal (of the situation),
e.g. cognitive attempts to reduce one's jealousy which may include developing a critical attitude toward one's own jealousy as well as direct attempts to get the jealousy under control by relativizing the whole situation.
Communication,
This is the most common strategy and can reduce jealousy if it results in a redefinition of the relationship or a changed perception of the partner's behaviour.


**Alot of psychologists have talked about affairs and jealousy within marriage, however I would like to investigate jealousy within different relationships such as between siblings, friendships, and relationships among the younger population.**