Sadness, Anger, Fear and Love

This chapter considers what may be learned about jealousy protest by exploring its affective component. Investigative attention to young infants’ facial expressions during exposure to differential treatment reveals that sadness is the predominant affect expression, while fear is more characteristic of females than males. Inquiry into behavioral and neurophysiological responses highlights an assertive, approach response that is consistent with anger. Love is implicated via evidence that jealousy protest is expressed through displays of attachment behaviors and facial affect expressions of interest, suggesting desire, as well as evidence that adults interpret jealousy as a reflection of affection. The fact that this combination of affects is unique, and tied specifically to eliciting conditions marked by differential treatment lends further weight to interpretations which use the term jealousy, even in young infants, and leads to concluding that even in its nascent form, jealousy is expressed as a blended emotion.