Maintain the relationship or protect it from threat? Jealousy shapes distinct types of goal striving in romantic relationships

Abstract

We investigated the reciprocal relationships between jealousy and maintenance versus protection goal striving in romantic relationships. While existing research has examined various ways romantic partners respond to jealousy and invest in their relationships, it lacks a distinction between routine acts of regular care for the current state of the relationship (maintenance goal striving) and acts that protect against anticipated negative outcomes (protection goal striving). Drawing from the ternary goal framework—which delineates maintenance, protection, and progress as three inherently distinct goal types—we hypothesized that jealousy leads individuals to favor protection over maintenance goal striving, and that this shift creates a self-reinforcing cycle with jealousy. Across three studies (N = 842), including experimental (Study 1) and longitudinal approaches with individual (Study 2) and dyadic data (Study 3), we found support for jealousy’s influence on goal priorities. Study 1’s experimental manipulation showed jealousy decreased maintenance motivation while leaving protection unchanged. In the longitudinal studies, jealousy predicted increased protection striving at both within-person (Study 2) and between-person levels (Studies 2 and 3), while effects on maintenance were either negative (Study 2) or absent (Study 3). Examining the reverse direction, individuals who chronically engaged in more protection striving showed increases in jealousy over time in both longitudinal studies. This research provides initial evidence that protection and maintenance goals play distinct roles in romantic relationships. The reinforcing cycle of jealousy and protection may have important implications for relationship functioning, as protection efforts may come at the cost of regular maintenance efforts that typically sustain relationship stability and satisfaction.