and low self- esteem (Mathes, Roter, Joerger, 1982). From a study conducted by Bringle, Roach, Andler & Evenbeck in 1977, there were reported correlational data suggesting that scores on a jealousy self-report scale were associated with low self-esteem, external locus of control, anxiety and dogmatism. Therefore individuals with these types of characteristics are the ones who tend to have more anxiety, tend to have attachment issues and require more intimacy (Dijkstra, Barelds, Groothof (2010).
             When looking at the relationship between personality characteristics and jealousy, most research has ignored the fact that jealousy is a multidimensional phenomenon (Dijkstra & Barelds, 2008).Rather than one global type of jealousy, there are many types of jealousy which relates differently to various personality characteristics. In the 1950's Freud made a distinction between normal and rational jealousy, Parrott, in 1991 distinguished between jealousy and a potential threat to a relationship known as suspicious jealousy and also the jealousy which is felt in response to a partners extra-dyadic sexual activity that had already occurred, which is known as fait accompli jealousy (Dijkstra & Barelds, 2008). In the new era however, three different types of jealousy were distinguished by Buunk in 2007; these are reactive, preventive and anxious jealousy. Reactive jealousy is the degree to which an individual experiences negative emotions such as anger and upset when their partner is seen to be flirting or showing interest in another, preventive jealousy is when an individual uses control and power to prevent their significant other from making friends with the opposite sex or forbid social interactions whereas anxious jealousy is when one experiences worry, anxiety, distrust, frustration and goes to the extent of cognitively generating images of a mate's infidelity (Dijkstra & Barelds, 2008). According to Brainerd Jr., Hunter, Moore & Tho...