Why flirting to make your partner jealous isn’t a good idea
Flirting with others to make your partner jealous really is a bad idea, experts warn.
Whether to boost your self-esteem or give your significant other a kick up the backside, it might be tempting to bat your eyes at someone else.
But instead of strengthening your relationship, scientists say it is likely to damage it.
Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.
Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.A team from Reichman University in Tel Aviv conducted three studies involving more than 500 people in committed relationships to investigate how people react when others show interest in their partner.
Analysis revealed that when others showed interest, they felt less interested in investing in the relationship and less desire.
As singletons, external interest in a potential partner can serve as a cue to desirability. But, in a committed relationship, that attention may be perceived as a threat, and a partner may aim to distance themselves to avoid a blow to self-esteem from rejection.
Writing in The Journal of Sex Research, the researchers said: ‘Individuals perceived their partners as less desirable when they received unsolicited attention. Our findings suggest that attempting to arouse interest from a current partner by seeking attention from others may backfire.’
