This study examines how different types of jealousy—emotional, cognitive, and behavioral—relate to relationship quality and personality traits. Building on Attridge’s (2013) findings that emotional jealousy is “good,” cognitive jealousy is “bad,” and behavioral jealousy has minimal associations, the current study expands these relationships by incorporating additional relationship components (investments, alternatives, commitment) and personality factors (attachment styles, self-esteem, Big Five traits, and implicit relationship beliefs).

Participants included 140 adults (102 females, males = 25) in romantic relationships. They completed measures assessing jealousy types, relationship quality, and personality. Results showed emotional jealousy positively correlated with satisfaction, commitment, and investments (rs > .31, ps < .001), and negatively with quality of alternatives (r = -.24, p = .001), aligning with prior findings. However, unlike Attridge, cognitive jealousy also positively correlated with satisfaction, commitment, and investments (rs > .15, ps < .05). Behavioral jealousy correlated positively with quality of alternatives (r = .26, p < .001).

Personality analyses revealed no significant links between emotional jealousy and personality traits. Cognitive jealousy correlated positively with growth and destiny beliefs, and neuroticism (rs > .15, ps < .05). Behavioral jealousy showed mixed correlations: positively with destiny beliefs, neuroticism, and anxious attachment (rs > .20, ps < .01), but negatively with agreeableness, conscientiousness, and self-esteem (rs > -.21, ps < .01).

These findings suggest emotional jealousy aligns with higher relationship quality, reinforcing its “good” label. Cognitive jealousy previously deemed “bad,” also showed positive associations with relationship quality. In contrast, behavioral jealousy, linked to lower self-esteem and alternative quality, supports its “bad” categorization. This research deepens our understanding of jealousy’s complex relationship with relationship dynamics and personality traits.