Jealousy across relationship styles: What the research can teach us

Jealousy has been described in romantic and sexual relationships for thousands of years. Jealousy has inspired countless films, songs, books, and mythologems. It has been used as an excuse for violence, particularly in intimate relationships. While the APA has defined jealousy as an inherently negative affective experience, much of the contemporary research on jealousy is purely descriptive and was generated in a mono-normative context, leaving many potential research avenues unexplored. This class seeks to recontextualize jealousy as neutral until acted upon. Re-imagining jealousy in this way opens new opportunities for navigating jealousy in both monogamous and non-monogamous relationships. This class is based on original research and provides an overview of interventions for mild to moderate jealousy.

• define jealousy
• differentiate jealousy and envy
• describe three common scenarios where jealousy impacts sexuality
• identify two jealousy intervention strategies
• describe the 5-step cognitive framework of jealousy