Implicit Beliefs about Relationships Impact Sibling Jealousy Experience

Abstract

The effects of implicit beliefs about relationships were examined in relation to children's sibling jealousy. Participants were 63 sixth-grade children from a local middle school and one of their parents. Children completed a questionnaire assessing their implicit beliefs (fixed or malleable) and were interviewed about the causes of and frequency, duration, and intensity of their jealousy towards a sibling. Parents completed a demographics questionnaire and checklist about the target child's jealousy. Differences between fixed and malleable theorists were found for duration and intensity of jealousy, but not for frequency. Findings suggest that fixed beliefs with regard to relationships are associated with less enduring and intense jealousy than malleable beliefs about relationships.