Abstrakt
The aim of this study was to re-examine the experience of jealousy and attitudes towards it from the perspective of homosexual men. We conducted semi-structured interviews with a sample of 15 homosexual men (age 20-35ys).
The interviews were analysed using open coding and categorical analyses. We identified a total of 17 categories, of which five were causes of jealousy: "Unknown Situation", "Electronic communication", "Leisure time", "Ex-partners", and "Flirting".
The majority of the respondents agreed that their jealousy rate varies depending on the nature and character of the partner, his attractiveness, profession, and whether he is out-going or prefers intimacy. As for "Definition of jealousy" responses varied depending on whether the respondents perceived jealousy positively or negatively.
The results of the categorical analyses further revealed that the rate of jealousy declined for all respondents with increasing age and experience, and that jealousy-inducing stimuli and responses differed depending on the sex of the partner of whom they were jealous. For respondents who experienced jealousy during a previous relationship with a woman, we have identified the jealousy associated with sexual infidelity, as opposed to the jealousy related to emotional infidelity they experienced when being in a relationship with a man.
Our results together with the previous studies suggest that the type of jealousy depends more on the sex of respondent's partner, rather than on the sex of the respondent.