Term Paper on "Jealousy as an Adverse Emotion"

Term Paper 5 pages (1389 words) Sources: 1+

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Jealousy as an adverse emotion is a term which commonly refers to inner psychological and outer sociological conflict pertaining to an object that one covets or desires. Jealously usually refers to a dynamic that occurs in relationships between people but it can also be understood in a broader sense as the jealousy or envy of the status or possessions of others. This can refer to money, property or attributes such as fame. Jealousy is also a very appropriate conceptual tool that can be used in the understanding of society and conflict.

Jealousy and relationships

Jealousy has been a dominant theme in literature as well as in philosophical studies of social behavior. The definition of jealousy as it relates to social relationships is as follows: "Jealousy results from the perception of a threat to one's romantic relationship... which most commonly stems from the perception of a romantic involvement between one's partner and a real or imaginary rival." (Comstock, J. 1997)

Jealously also involves a sense of perceived loss of control over the emotions and affections of another person. In a study conducted by Comstock, entitled Effect of relationship length on the experience, expression, and perceived appropriateness of jealousy (1997) it was found that jealousy was often an emotion that was repressed or hidden due to the fact that it is seen as being socially unacceptable or inappropriate. "... Many people are ashamed of feeling jealous and try to repress, conceal, deny, or disguise it." (ibid) This repression of feelings therefore can create internal conflict within the individual who experiences jealously. This is in addition to outer social conflict which may be experienced due to the feelings of loss of control or betrayal.

Another factor that illustrates the function of jealousy within relationships is that it is seen as a threat to the relationship and is usually more common in the early stages. However, it was also found that jealousy is unlikely to be expressed in the early stages of a relationship due to the fact that it is often seen as being inappropriate to express this emotion. "... even if jealousy is experienced early in a relationship, it is unlikely to be expressed because it is considered an "aversive emotional reaction"... such a response to a rival might be considered premature and inappropriate." (ibid) as can be deduced from this fact, jealousy will tend to be hidden and in many cases the intensity of the emotion creates conflict within the individual. This conflict is often referred to as "the little green monster." The experience of this deeply felt emotion can upset the balance in a relationship and can be intensified by often illusionary perceptions of the partner's betrayal.

Jealousy, status and class

While relationships are possibly the most common way of understanding the dynamics of jealousy, the term can also be applied to larger and more complex social issues. Jealousy is also evident in the sociological theory of class conflict. This refers to the distribution and access to goods and services as well as status in a society. Classical Marxist theory sees Capitalist society made up of the "have and have not's." In essence, Marxist theory posits that the society is in continual conflict between the producers of goods or workers and the owners of the means of production. In a sense, this can be translated into terms of jealousy and envy - where those without status and wealth desire and are jealous of those with the lion's share of wealth in the society, which can be seen as the emotional source that drives the dynamics of Capitalist society.

In Marxist theory the unequal distribution of goods and services is the essence of modern capitalist society which results in ongoing conflict between the different classes and between those who hold power and those who do not. Jealousy as the desire for something that another might possess can also be seen to fit into the pattern of conflict between classes in a society.

Jealousy can also exist within classes, especially when someone rises above their class and causes a resentful reaction for those who have not achieved status.

The main energy of jealousy, however, came from… READ MORE

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