Conceptualizing jealousy as a disposition

The following aspects of jealousy are discussed: (1) An initial conceptualization of jealousy as a disposition which posits that to understand jealousy one must consider causes of individual differences and situational variation in jealous behavior. (2) Initial research on the personality of dispositionally jealous persons which found them to be self-deprecating, unhappy, anxious, externally controlled, and dogmatic. In addition, a research study on the role of arousability is reviewed and preliminary speculations on integrating jealousy with research and theory on social cognition are presented. (3) A review of research on the nature of jealousy-evoking situations. (4) How the person and situation interact and how this view can be integrated with dispositional jealousy. And (5) a few implications for the management of jealousy.