Testing and refining a consequence model of jealousy across relational contexts and jealousy expression messages

An empirically tested model of an individual’s cognitive and emotional consequences to a close relational partner’s jealousy expression is described and tested. Specifically, general partner uncertainty, relational uncertainty, negative jealousy-related emotion, and rumination are examined in concert with one another as consequences of partner jeal-ousy expression. Path modeling techniques reveal that one of two competing consequence models of jealousy fit the data: Upon partner jealousy expression, the jealous target first experiences general partner uncertainty, which leads to relational uncertainty, which leads to rumination, which finally leads to negative jealousy-related emotion. This model spans both close relationship types and specific methods of jealousy expression. Implica-tions of this model for the theoretical pursuit of jealousy research are discussed