Envy is an unpleasant feeling that can be triggered when someone experiences a lack of something that another person has.
One may feel envious if a close friend is more talented than they are, has a better job, owns a nicer house, or drives a flashier car.
Could envy towards a friend's attractiveness also manifest as sexual jealousy? This question has been debated by psychologists for many years.
According to some research studies, there seems to be evidence that suggests this may be true. One study found that women who were exposed to pictures of attractive men reported experiencing more feelings of sexual desire compared to those who viewed images of less attractive men.
It was discovered that women were more likely to have sexual fantasies about their partner after viewing these photos.
Another study looked at how individuals reacted when shown images of physically desirable members of the opposite sex, finding that both men and women felt increased levels of sexual arousal when viewing such images. Interestingly, however, this effect appeared stronger in men than in women. The authors concluded that "sexual attraction appears to be much more strongly influenced by physical appearance in males than females."
Researchers believe that sexual attraction may sometimes be rooted in envy. In fact, some experts suggest that envy towards a partner's attractiveness can lead to sexual jealousy. According to this theory, individuals may feel threatened by the idea that their partner finds someone else more appealing and therefore experience feelings of insecurity, anxiety, and even anger.
Not all research supports this notion. Some studies have failed to find any link between envy and sexual jealousy.
One recent experiment examined whether participants experienced greater sexual jealousy when they were made aware of another individual's attractiveness compared to when they did not know about it. The results indicated no significant difference, suggesting that while people may feel envious of others' qualities, there is no clear connection between envy and sexual jealousy.
While there is some evidence linking envy toward a friend's attractiveness to sexual jealousy, further research is needed to fully understand the relationship between these two emotions. Regardless, understanding how we respond to others who possess qualities that we desire or lack ourselves could help us better navigate our relationships with friends and romantic partners.
Can envy toward a friend's attractiveness manifest as sexual jealousy?
Yes, envy towards a friend's attractiveness can be a cause of sexual jealousy if it triggers feelings of low self-esteem. Research suggests that individuals with lower self-esteem may experience heightened levels of sexual jealousy when they perceive their partner desiring someone more attractive than themselves (e. g. , Niv et al. , 2013).