Eugene W. Mathes

Jealousy, Romantic Love, and Liking: Theoretical Considerations and Preliminary Scale Development:

The studies reported in this paper had two purposes, the construction of a measure of jealousy and the use of this measure to test some prevalent beliefs concerning jealousy with the aim of providing construct validity for the scale and expanding our empirical understanding of jealousy. Using the rational approach to test construction, a 28-item test was constructed. This scale was expected to correlate positively with romantic love, insecurity, and low self-esteem and negatively with separate identities. Also scores should not correlate with liking. These relationships were noted except for positive correlations between jealousy and insecurity for men and jealousy and low self-esteem for both sexes. Enough evidence for construct validity was found to warrant further use of the scale for research. It was suggested that open marriage relationships must be based primarily on liking rather than romantic love to avoid jealousy.

Ratings of physical attractiveness as a function of age.

Abstract Holmes and Hatch (1938) theorized that physical attractiveness is related to erotic desirability and to biological superiority with the result that through selective breeding, the species, Homo sapiens, is improved. Elaborating this theory, Symons (1979) suggested that over the life span of a single individual, the correlation between physical attractiveness, erotic desirability, and biological superiority would ensure that the individual would have children only during periods of superior fitness. He also suggested that physical attractiveness is more important to males in selecting sex partners than it is to females. To test the theorizing of Holmes, Hatch, and Symons, it was hypothesized that following puberty a negative relationship would be found between an individuals age and ratings of physical attractiveness by judges of the opposite sex. Furthermore, the relationship would be more negative for ratings of women by men than for ratings of men by women. The negative relationship was found ...

Jealousy: loss of relationship rewards, loss of self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and anger.

Whites (1981) theory of romantic jealousy states that the loss (or anticipated loss) of a romantic partner to a rival causes two kinds of suffering: loss (or anticipated loss) of relationship rewards and loss (or anticipated loss) of self-esteem. Elaborating this theory, we proposed that loss of relationship rewards causes depression, whereas loss of self-esteem causes anxiety and anger. General support was found for Whites theory and the elaborations, but not for the hypothesis that the loss of self-esteem causes anxiety. Anxiety may be a product of both loss of self-esteem and loss of relationship rewards.

Peak Experience Tendencies Scale Development and Theory Testing

The research reported here involved the creation of a measure of the tendency to have peak experiences called the Peak Scale, and the testing of several hypotheses drawn from Maslows theory of peak experiences. It was found that although individuals who report having peak experiences are also likely to report having experiences involving intense happiness, they are even more prone to report having cognitive experiences of a transcendent and mystical nature. This suggests that although the peak experience involves positive affect, it is primarily a transcendent and mystical cognitive event. Individuals who report having peak experiences are more likely to report living in terms of Being-values, such as truth, beauty, and justice, than individuals who report not having peak experiences. Finally, self-actualizing individuals are more likely to report having peak experiences than less self-actualizing individuals, though the relationship is not a very strong one. In general, these results are consistent with Maslows theorizing.

Behavioral Correlates of the Interpersonal Jealousy Scale

To establish further the validity of the Interpersonal Jealousy scale, the investigators correlated it with each of two behavioral measures of (a) threat when one is confronted by a rival and (b) expressions of possessiveness toward the partner. Significant correlations were found to provide evidence of validity. As the Interpersonal Jealousy Scale and the behavioral measures of threat and possessiveness did not share method variance, the obtained validity data were judged to be impressive.

Reik's Complementarity Theory of Romantic Love

Abstract In Reiks (1957) complementarity theory of romantic love, one falls in love when one is dissatisfied with oneself and meets someone of the opposite sex who has those characteristics that he or she desires but has been unable to achieve. To test this theory, low- (n = 20) and high- (n = 20) self-esteem subjects were given personality descriptions, supposedly belonging to peers of the opposite sex, and asked to state how attracted they were to each. One description was composed of the subjects actual characteristics only; another, his ideal characteristics only; a third, characteristics that were both actual and ideal; and a fourth, characteristics that did not belong to the individuals actual or ideal self. Subjects were more attracted to peers embodying their own ideal characteristics than to those who did not. Thus, Reiks theory was supported.

A Convergent Validity Study of Six Jealousy Scales

To determine the convergent validity of 6 measures of jealousy, these measures along with two measures of neuroticism, two measures of romantic love, and a measure of extraversion were factor analyzed. The factors identified were jealousy-neurosis, jealousy, extraversion, and romantic love. An examination of the item format of the three jealousy scales that loaded on the first factor indicated that they might be contaminated by the social desirability response set. An examination of the jealousy scales that loaded on the second factor showed convergence and a weak relationship with neuroticism and romantic love.

Anonymity and Group Antisocial Behavior

Summary According to the anonymity explanation of group antisocial behavior, group membership facilitates antisocial behavior because individuals feel more anonymous in groups than alone. This explanation was tested under three hypotheses: (a) group membership facilitates antisocial behavior, (b) group membership causes feelings of anonymity, and (c) anonymity facilitates antisocial behavior. Sixteen men and 10 women from an introductory personality course at Western Illinois University were asked to state how willing they were to engage in an antisocial behavior (carrying a sign reading, “masturbation is fun”) under four conditions: alone, undisguised; alone, disguised; in a group, undisguised; and in a group, disguised. Ss were more willing to carry the signs in groups than alone and disguised than undisguised. They also stated that they felt that they would be more anonymous in a group than alone and disguised than undisguised. All differences were statistically significant. Support was thus found for ...

AN EVOLUTIONARY PERSPECTIVE ON THE INTERACTION OF AGE AND SEX DIFFERENCES IN SHORT-TERM SEXUAL STRATEGIES

Buss and Schmitts sexual strategies theory (1993) suggests that short-term mating represents a larger component of mens than womens mating strategies. Assuming this sex difference there is potential for conflict. Symons argued that, because men are more interested in copulation than women, this gives women greater power in establishing conditions (short- vs long-term) under which copulation takes place. The result is that the conflict in sexual strategies is resolved in favor of womens relatively greater interest in long-term sexual strategies. This research tested the hypothesis that across ages men would decrease in desire to employ short-term mating strategies in favor of long-term mating strategies. Specifically, in Study I, men and women in their teens, twenties, and thirties or older were given a measure of desire for a committed relationship. It was predicted that women, regardless of age, would score high on desire for a committed relationship. In contrast, teenage boys would score low on desire for a committed relationship while men in their thirties or older would score as high as the women. In Study II both sexes in their teens, twenties, and thirties or older were given measures of desire for promiscuous sex. It was predicted that the women, regardless of age, would score low on desire for promiscuous sex. In contrast, teenage boys would score high on desire for promiscuous sex while men in their thirties or older would score as low as the women. Support was found for both predictions.

The Effect of Life Expectancy on Aggression and Generativity: A Life History Perspective:

Following a model that is inclusive of both dispositional and situational influences on life-history behaviors and attitudes, the effect of life expectancies on aggression and generativity was examined. Consistent with the hypotheses it was found that shorter life expectancies led to an increase in the desire to aggress and a decrease in the desire to engage in generative behaviors. The results are discussed in terms of how life history theory can be used to frame research on person-situation interactions.