Canadian psychologists from Nipissing University have experimentally proven that feelings of jealousy are likely to motivate women to invest in their own appearance through cosmetic procedures, slimming products and plastic surgery. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Evolutionary Psychology (EVP).
Partner retention is the act of maintaining a relationship through various manipulations. Improving one’s appearance can be a way to protect a partner, and these efforts can range from clothing choices to more transformative measures such as plastic surgery. In particular, women in serious relationships are more likely to improve their appearance to keep a partner than women in less serious relationships.
Researchers examined the role of jealousy in improving appearance by taking into account envy, a closely related but distinct emotion. Jealousy, which focuses on the threat of losing a valued relationship, is different from jealousy, which revolves around feelings of inferiority compared to the qualities or resources of others.
Scientists selected 189 girls with an average age of 20. About half of them were in long-term relationships of at least one year. Participants completed a variety of tests measuring cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of jealousy and envy.
The study found that, apart from appearance expenditures and use of facial cosmetics, envy remains a significant determinant of a variety of appearance-enhancing behaviors.
Jealousy, on the other hand, was found to be a predictor of positive attitudes towards plastic surgery, estimating expenses, willingness to use diet pills, and willingness to go to a tanning salon, but not towards facial cosmetics.
According to the scientists, their study was the first to statistically reveal the relationship between envy and jealousy in female behavior.
Psychologists before in the name Personality characteristics of people prone to jealousy.