Jealousy is a “complex of thoughts, feelings, and actions which follow threats to self-esteem and/or threats to the existence or quality of the relationship” (White, 1981, p. 129). According to Pfeiffer and Wong (1989), jealousy construct consists of three dimensions: emotional, cognitive, and behavioral.
Envy is not an amorphous feeling and can be seen as consisting of four distinct dimensions, labeled identification, confrontive, redirecting, and medea.
If we can't learn to tame it, it can ultimately kill our confidence, relationships and happiness. We can identify six major types of jealousy: pathological (paranoid), romantic, sexual, rational, irrational and intentional.
“Jealousy is the highest form of flattery.”
Jealousy is often rooted in insecurities and fears that a person may not even realize they have. These could include fear of oversimplification, fear of inadequacy, fear of abandonment, fear of being replaced, and fear of being judged.
If you're the target of jealousy, you may feel like someone (usually a partner or friend) is trying to control your life. They might do things such as check up on you, try to tell you what to do (or not do) and how to act, or limit your contact with friends and coworkers.
⚡ Quick summary. Jealousy and envy both involve a feeling of desire for what another person has, but jealousy is usually thought to be more negative—it often involves resentment toward the other person. Envy is also a negative feeling—like a mix of admiration and discontent—but the word doesn't usually imply hostility.
Jealousy can come from feelings of low self-esteem or lack of confidence. And when someone is unhappy about themselves, feels anxious and insecure, this can lead to feelings of jealousy and being out of control. Jealousy is slightly different from envy. You can envy someone for something they have.
Healthy Jealousy
Jealousy can come from the fear of losing the relationship. This exists when a person is afraid something or someone better will end the relationship. This mild form of jealousy is normal because it's connected to the love and importance they have for the relationship.
Jealousy is said to be one of two types: reactive jealousy, which occurs at the awareness of an actual threat to the relationship, or suspicious jealousy, which can occur without any indications that the relationship is being threatened (Bringle & Buunk, 1991).
It once used to be regarded as the swashbuckling pirate of emotion, but today it's seen as the awkward outsider, needy and insecure—a weakness rather than strength. The truth is, feeling jealous is neither strong nor weak—it's natural.
Other words for envious
1. resentful, jealous, covetous.
A person can feel anything from anger to humiliation when jealous. Others are afraid they will lose their loved one. In a study of 500 middle school aged children, it was shown that the females in the study were actually more jealous than the boys.
Research has shown that jealousy can be a sign of feeling deeply in love with a partner. It may contribute to relationship satisfaction by signaling emotional commitment and investment. It may contribute to relationship stability by prompting partners to further nurture their bond and actively protect their union.
If you don't feel confident in yourself or your relationships, this can lead to jealousy. People with insecure or anxious attachment styles may also experience jealousy in their relationships.
James 3:16. “Wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there is disorder and everything that is evil.” The Good News: When you do things with pure intentions, order and positivity will overflow from your life.
Jealousy is a curse. Make no mistake. It leads to broken relationships, constant arguments, and drives men away faster than just about anything else. Jealousy is emotionally exhausting to deal for anyone to deal with long-term.
Jealousy is a natural reaction…
Just like it's natural to feel fear when we're threatened or angry when an injustice has been committed, it's natural to feel jealous sometimes too. While jealousy is natural in the sense of being normal, it's also natural in that it's useful—or at least trying to be.
Jealousy can be a powerful and painful emotion, and this negative emotion can end almost any relationship. If left untreated, jealousy can create a permanent wedge between you and your partner, while negatively affecting future relationships.