Chapter 10 Marriage and Intimate Relationships EXERCISE 10.1 Self-Assessment: Self-Report Jealousy Scale

Instructions The following scale lists some situations in which you may have been involved, or in which you could be involved. Rate them with regard to how you would feel if you were confronted with the situation by circling a number that corresponds to one of the reactions shown on the right. Do not omit any items.

0 1 2 3 4 Pleased Mildly Upset Very Extremely

Upset Upset Upset

The Scale 1. Your partner expresses the desire that you both develop

other romantic relationships. 2. Your partner spends increasingly more time at work

with a co-employee you feel could be sexually attractive to your partner.

3. Your partner suddenly shows an interest in going to a party when he or she finds out that someone will be there with whom he or she has been romantically involved previously.

_.__23. The person who has been your assistant for a number of years at work decides to take a similar position with someone else.

..__24. The group to which you belong appears to be leaving you out of plans, activities, etc.

…._…….25. Your best friend suddenly shows interest in doing things with someone else.

Source: Bringle et at. (1979)

4. At a party, your partner hugs someone other than you. Scoring the Scale 5. You notice your partner repeatedly looking at another. Give yourself 4 points for every item where your response was 6. Your partner spends increasingly more time in outside "extremely upset," 3 points for every item where your response

activities and hobbies in which you are not included, was "very upset," 2 points for every item where your response was 7. At a party, your partner kisses someone you do not "upset," 1 point for every item where your response was "mildly

know. upset," and 0 for every item where your response was "pleased." In

8. Your boss, with whom you have had a good working other words, add up the numbers you recorded. This total is your

relationship in the past, now seems to be more interested score on the Self-Report Jealousy Scale.

in the work of a co-worker. 9. Your partner goes to a bar several evenings without you.

My Score

10. Your partner recently received a promotion, and the new position requires a great deal of travel, business dinners, and parties, most of which you are not invited to attend.

,.__11. At a party, your partner dances with someone you do not know.

12. You and a co-worker worked very hard on an extremely important project. However, your boss gave your co-worker full credit for it.

13. Someone flirts with your partner. .,__14. At a party, your partner repeatedly kisses someone you

do not know. 15. Your partner has sexual relations with someone else.

,..__16. Your brother or sister is given more freedom, such as staying up later, or driving the car.

What the Scale Measures As its name indicates, this scale measures your tendency to get jealous in a variety of situations. It does not measure romantic jeal-ousy exclusively, as ten of the items relate to nonromantic jealousy. Hence, it assesses jealousy in a general way, with a heavy emphasis on romantic relationships.

This scale, which was developed by Bringle, et al. (1979), has adequate test-retest reliability. Correlations with other personal-ity traits have been examined in efforts to demonstrate its validity. People who score high on the scale tend to have low self-esteem, to be anxious, to see the world in negative terms, and to feel they have little control over their lives. These are interesting findings, although more research is needed to better validate this instrument.

.._….17. Your partner comments to you on how attractive another person is. Interpreting Your Score

18. While at a social gathering of a group of friends, your Our norms are based on the sample of 162 college students studied

partner spends little time talking to you, but engages the by Bringle et al. (1979). They may be inappropriate for older, non-

others in animated conversation, traditional college students.

19. Grandparents visit your family, and they seem to devote Norms

most of their attention to a brother or sister instead of High score: 83-100

you. Intermediate score: 59-82

20. Your partner flirts with someone else. Low score: 0-58 21. Your brother or sister seems to be receiving more affec-

tion and/or attention from your parents. 22. You have just discovered your partner is having an affair

with someone at work.

PERSONAL EXPLORATIONS WORKBOOK W-33