Try retail therapy to regain your spouse’s attention

The findings showed that feelings of jealousy increases the desire for buying eye-catching products — such as a bright coloured coat instead of a dull-coloured one, or a T-shirt with a big logo design versus a low-key design.

“We believe that this effect is not just restricted to jealousy in romantic relationships. Children can be jealous of a sibling’s relationship with their parents or workers might be jealous of a colleague’s close relationship with a supervisor,” said Xun (Irene) Huang, professor at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

In addition, the desire to recapture someone’s attention with eye-catching products even outweighed the risk of public embarrassment, the researchers said.

For the study, the team conducted a series of different experiments.

One experiment showed that participants who were experiencing feelings of jealously were more likely to buy a noticeable gold lamp for their office, a public place.

But if they were buying a lamp for their bedroom, interest in a gold lamp versus a plain grey one was equal.

According to Huang, the study may also have implications for marketing.

Print advertisements and in-store displays can capture situations in which jealously is at play, which could motivate consumers to buy products that will attract someone’s attention.

Television commercials that promote attention-grabbing products might also be effective during sit-coms in which jealously is a common theme.

The study was published online in the Journal of Consumer Psychology.