Romantisk svartsjuka - ett inlärt beteende? : En kvalitativ analys av hur svartsjuka porträtteras i sju romantiska filmer

Sammanfattning: The idea of romance, intimate sexual relationships and romantic relationships has been distorted and subsequently redefined. Emotional- and affect related behaviour such as jealousy has been integrated into relationships and has been transformed into a sign of love and care. We deem this development problematic as jealousy can be considered a catalyst in terms of integration and expression of violence in romantic relationships. Consumption of different medial phenomenon is to be considered a primary source of information with special regards to children and adolescents. We claim that this is to be considered as something problematic as media and its depiction of norms and values may not reflect reality and instead contribute to the normalization of gender roles. Such gender roles play a significant role in the expression of what is known as romantic jealousy as they dictate socially acceptable behaviours with regards to men and women involved in a romantic relationship. The aim of this study was to examine if romantic jealousy and its depiction in modern films is being romanticized and to identify the normalization of destructive behaviour that constitutes a part of the phenomenon. Furthermore, the study examined our aim by trying to answer two questions 1) How is romantic jealousy depicted in modern films? 2) How are behaviours directly relating to romantic jealousy normalized in modern films? After thorough observation of seven films this study was able to conclude that jealousy is indeed romanticized in modern films. At the same time such romanticization contributes to the masking of destructive behaviours due a pervading narration of premiss which sees love as the ultimate goal. Such masking contributes to the consolidation of stereotypical gender roles and relating norms and values which in their turn can act as both a trigger and a catalyst for the expression of physical and emotional violence within a romantic relationship.