High achievers more likely to be jealous in relationships, claims study

Recent research suggests that university students with high grade point averages (GPAs) are more likely to experience jealously in their relationships.

The study authors have not determined a reason for the connection, but they suggest that high-performing students are perfectionists -- and therefore are more fearful of failure.

"Students with higher GPAs are often more conscientious, show greater self-control and tend to be perfectionistic," Denise Friedman, an associate professor of psychology at Roanoke College, tells Live Science. "Perceived infidelity likely upsets their attempts at perfection across the board."

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The researchers from Roanoke College in Virgina conduced several experiments with undergraduate university students that tested jealousy levels using a hypothetical Facebook message from someone of the opposition sex that read: "What are you up to later?"

In addition to discovering a link between a student's GPA and jealousy, they noted a difference in gender. Women were overall more jealous of the hypothetical messages, however, if a winking or smiley emoticon was added to then end of it, men were more jealous.

"Evolutionary work suggests men are more jealous of sexual infidelity, while women are more jealous of emotional infidelity," Friedman says. "The winking emoticon was most likely perceived as flirtatious, perhaps even sexually suggestive, which may explain why men were more jealous in this condition."

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Researchers presented their findings at an Association for Psychology Science meeting this May.

Another recent study from June suggests that those who use Facebook frequently are more prone to relationship woes. The researchers claim excessive Facebook users are more likely to experience jealousy toward their partner and are more likely to cheat after reconnecting with previous partners on Facebook.

What are your thoughts on the connection between jealousy and Facebook? What about the link between jealousy and high achievers?