The role of idealising jealousy in inhibiting the identification of and response to non-physical intimate partner violence: a schema theory approach

This thesis applies schema theory (Bartlett, 1995) to explore people’s non-physical intimate partner violence (IPV) identification and response. Non-physical forms of IPV reflect behaviours by a past or present romantic partner that are used to dominate and control the victim/survivor and can vary in harmfulness based on the severity of the individual behaviour, and/or the frequency of the behaviours. Understanding the identification of, and response to, non-physical IPV behaviours is necessary, as they are known to be the most likely early IPV behaviours observed in relationships characterised by abuse. Although previous research indicates that traditional gender beliefs, romanticism, and idealising jealousy are conceptually connected to IPV identification and response, this prior research does not empirically assess non-physical IPV identification and response. This inhibits the ability to draw inferences regarding the association of these beliefs with early IPV identification and response. Using a mixed methods approach, comprising quantitative, quasi-experimental, and experimental studies, we establish that people exhibit uncertainty in activation of their IPV schema in response to non-physical IPV behaviours and this effect is particularly pronounced for those who more strongly idealise jealousy in romantic relationships. Finally, we link this uncertainty of IPV schema activation in response to non-physical IPV to men’s victimisation and perpetration, and women’s perpetration.Chapter 1 provides a thorough review of the literature regarding IPV identification and responses, how these vary as a function of gender and romantic beliefs, and of type of abuse, and the applicability of schema theory within the current research project. In Chapter 2 we present two quasi-experimental, quantitative studies (N1 = 317, N2 = 382) which demonstrate that traditional gender role endorsement, romanticism, and idealising jealousy are three separate, but overlapping, constructs. Further, the first study suggests that the measures of these constructs differently predicted attitudes to IPV.In Chapter 3 we present one qualitative study (N  = 86) where we identify common components of people’s IPV schemas, and one experimental study (N = 305) where we assess participants’ identification of individual IPV behaviours and how this varies as a function of relationship type, and of traditional gender role endorsement, romanticism, and idealising jealousy. Drawing on schema theory (Bartlett, 1995; Gilboa & Marlatte, 2017; Hunt et al., 2012), results of Chapter 3 allow us to infer participants’ reliance on stereotypes of male-to-female physical IPV (Bolger, 2015; Bosson & Vandello, 2011; Hamby, 2017b; Peters, 2008b) with widespread recognition of the importance of control and power imbalances. However, this recognition does not translate to identification of the abusive nature of concrete non-physical IPV behaviours used to achieved control, and this is particularly true for participants who idealise jealousy in romantic relationships.In Chapter 4 we used a clustering task (N = 168) to assess participants’ understandings of the presentation and progression of abusive behaviours in relationships characterised by IPV. Clusters created by participants in the study in Chapter 4 indicate that participants hold distinct representations of non-abusive, non-physically abusive and physically abusive behaviours, tending to cluster behaviours of the same category together. Additionally, participants largely recognised non-abusive clusters as not abusive, and physically abusive clusters as definitely abusive, but were uncertain in their categorisation of non-physical IPV behavioural clusters as IPV. This indicates that hesitancy in categorising non-physical IPV behaviours as abuse persists even when presented as multiple co-occurring behaviours.In Chapter 5 we present two experimental studies (Nmain = 637, Nreplication = 1264) where we again draw on schema theory, and experimentally assess whether the type of abuse and/or gender of the perpetrator and victim moderate the association between jealousy and IPV identification and response. Results of Chapter 5 replicate prior findings that indicate reduced identification of non-physical IPV relative to physical IPV. Further, non-physical IPV was perceived as less harmful and associated with reduced perpetrator blame and less victim supportive beliefs around separation than physical IPV. Increased idealisation of jealousy was linked to reduced IPV identification, lower perceived harm ratings, lower perpetrator blame, and less victim supportive beliefs about separation across all types of IPV. In Chapter 6 we used  structural equation modelling to explore the indirect effects of jealousy on perpetration and victimisation via non-physical IPV identification and victim blame. Results indicate that greater idealisation of jealousy is associated with decreased identification of non-physical IPV which is in turn associated with higher victim blame. This higher victim blame then predicts greater victimisation among male participants and greater perpetration among both male and female participants. Chapter 7 draws together the findings of this program of research, links these findings to previous research, explores the implications of these findings, and presents recommendations for future directions for research. This thesis demonstrates the crucial role of pre-existing beliefs about jealousy in romantic relationships in the identification of, and response to, IPV behaviours in the early stages of abuse in an intimate relationship.