Jealousy Mediates the Link Between Women’s Upward Physical Appearance Comparison and Mate Retention Behavior

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated that men’s lower mate value predicts increased perpetration of mate retention, especially with respect to cost inflicting behaviors. It is less clear if lower mate value women, including those who perceive themselves as being less physically attractive than their intrasexual rivals, also perpetrate more mate retention. Moreover, it is presently unclear whether romantic jealousy, which has been proposed to motivate compensatory behavior in response to evidence that a valued mating relationship is threatened, might mediate this link. The present study addressed this gap in knowledge by examining whether women’s overall self-perceived mate value and upward physical appearance comparisons predicted their cost inflicting and benefit provisioning mate retention, as well as whether jealousy mediated these relationships. In a sample of 167 heterosexual undergraduate women, results found self-perceived mate value predicted greater benefit provisioning mate retention, but not romantic jealousy. In contrast, jealousy mediated the relationship between women’s upward physical appearance comparisons and both their cost-inflicting and benefit-provisioning mate retention, supporting the hypothesis that jealousy in the face of unfavorable social comparisons on important mate value traits can promote action aimed at retaining a mate.

Being Compassionate in Early Adulthood

“…People who have cultural values obsessed with physical appearance can make the individual have a high appearance self-schema [13]. Arnocky and Locke [34] also get the results that female individuals who have a prominent level of jealousy will often perform physical appearance comparison behavior because they perceive other individuals as threats to get a partner.…”

Women's Romantic Jealousy Predicts Risky Appearance Enhancement Effort

“…: I question X about previous or present romantic relationships” (Behavioral). Because we did not have specific predictions about sub-facets of jealousy and given that each component contributes to the overall experienced emotion of jealousy, following previous research (e.g., Arnocky & Locke, 2020; Lantagne & Furman, 2017; Maner et al, 2007) we created a mean score by averaging responses across all items. The measure showed good internal consistency, (α = .88).…”

“…For example, Arnocky et al (2012) found that jealousy was more prevalent among women who perceive themselves as less physically attractive than their same-sex rivals, and that jealousy mediated links to aggressive mate retention behavior. Other research has shown that women's jealousy correlated with both cost-inflicting and benefit-provisioning mate retention effort (Arnocky & Locke, 2020). Similarly, research on Iranian respondents found women's jealousy correlated with benefit-provisioning, but not cost-inflicting, mate retention (Atari et al, 2017).…”

Direct and Indirect Roles of Men in Determining Women Decision to Use Laser Procedures for Skin Care

“…This negative impact can result in irregular eating patterns and lead to problems such as obesity or malnutrition. 35 Competition for a partner that is too high impacts body image dissatisfaction. 36 Women are willing to do beautification to gain selfconfidence even though sometimes the procedures applied can pose a risk of physical injury.…”