Abstract
Jealousy is a troublesome emotional experience for those afflicted by its onset. The grip of the “green-eyed monster” has been known to cause misery and produce some drastic coping behaviors ranging from paranoid stalking to violent aggression. But rather than a product of civilized culture gone wrong or a mental disorder as some thinkers have claimed jealousy to be, the current chapter proposes from an evolutionary perspective that jealousy plays an important role in our lives by serving a critical adaptive function for humans—the vigilance over and protection of relationships that are valuable to us.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | The Function of Emotions |
| Subtitle of host publication | When and Why Emotions Help Us |
| Editors | Heather C. Lench |
| Place of Publication | Cham |
| Publisher | Springer |
| Chapter | 7 |
| Pages | 121-140 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9783319776194 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9783319776187 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 21 Apr 2018 |
| Externally published | Yes |