Gender Differences in the Jealousy-Evoking Effect of Rival Characteristics: A Study in Spain and Argentina

Abstract

This study examines gender differences in the jealousy-evoking nature of rival characteristics in two Spanish-speaking countries (Argentina and Spain). A total of 388 Spanish students and 444 Argentinean students participated in the study. First, the cross-cultural validity of a Dutch scale containing 56 rival characteristics was examined. A factor analysis distinguished four dimensions (i.e., social power and dominance, physical attractiveness, physical dominance, and social-communal attributes). After the analysis, the final scale contained in total 24 items. Results showed that in Argentina and Spain combined, men experienced more jealousy than women when their rival was more physically dominant. In contrast, women experienced more jealousy than men when their rival was more physically attractive, had more social-communal attributes, and had more social power and dominance. In both genders, social-communal attributes was the most jealousy-evoking characteristic, followed by physical attractiveness in women and by social power and dominance in men. In addition, in Argentinean participants but not in Spanish participants, those high in social comparison orientation found the rival characteristics more jealousy evoking.These results provide strong support for the evolutionary hypothesis of gender differences in the rival characteristics that may evoke jealousy. Small size effect differences were found between the two countries and only regarding social-communal attributes.

A systematic review of romantic jealousy in relationships

“…Moreover, 41% of the studies did not report the participants' sexual orientation, and this may be an important mediating variable (Dijkstra et al, 2013 (Martínez-León, Mathes, Avendaño, Peña, & Sierra, in press). We suggest that the measurement include the results of research on stimuli that may evoke jealousy (Dijkstra et al, 2010), as well as on social situations that may incite more jealousy than others, such as "afternoon coffee vs. dinner invitation" (Kevin, Kniffin, & Wansink, 2012), selfies (Halpem et al, 2017), features of the rival (Buunk et al, 2011) and social media monitoring (Dainton & Stokes, 2015). Evaluation of romantic jealousy should be multimodal, integrating the results of scales, records, interviews with the partner, and nonverbal measures of emotional stress markers (DeSteno et al, 2006 (Buss et al, 1992) and the cognitive social theory (Harris, 2003) -have received sufficient empirical support.…”

Jealousy at work: The role of rivals’ characteristics

“…A rival's physical dominance evoked less jealousy in women ( M = 1.46, SD = 0.88; see also Table ). The low means obtained in this study are consistent with prior studies on jealousy (see Arnocky, Sunderani, Miller & Vaillancourt, ; Buunk et al ., , ).…”

Do Transgender People Respond According to Their Biological Sex or Their Gender Identity When Confronted With Romantic Rivals?

“…ISC encompasses, among others, the desire to view oneself as better than others, feelings of envy and frustration when others are more popular with the opposite sex, and a tendency to derogate and exclude potential rivals. There is evidence that the rival characteristics that elicit jealousy, except for physical dominance, are related to ISC in work settings (Buunk, Zurriaga, González, & Castro Solano, 2012) and that especially among those high in ISC, sex differences in the rival characteristics that elicit jealousy are observed (Buunk, aan't Goor, & Castro Solano, 2010).…”