Cyber Dating Abuse Perpetration By Malay Women: Do Jealousy And Feminine Gender Norms Matter?

Nur Hidayah Ahmad Musli, Nor Diana Mohd Mahudin

Abstract


While jealousy and gender norms are often discussed in the context of relationship conflict, their specific roles in cyber dating abuse remain underexplored, particularly among Malay women. The present study addresses this gap by examining one critical question: do feeling jealous and conformity to feminine norms relate to the perpetration of cyber dating abuse in romantic relationships? In a sample of 124 Malay women, data were collected using an online survey. Results revealed that behavioural jealousy was a significant, positive predictor of cyber dating abuse perpetration, while emotional jealousy inversely predicted such behaviour. Conformity to feminine norms, however, did not predict cyber dating abuse perpetration. These results highlight the complex role of jealousy in the context of cyber dating abuse and suggest that emotional and behavioural expressions of jealousy may differ in their impact on abusive behaviours. The lack of a significant relationship between conformity to feminine norms and abuse perpetration calls for a re-evaluation of cultural assumptions in future studies. By focusing on a population rarely studied in this context, this study offers new insight into how personal emotions and sociocultural expectations may contribute to harmful online behaviours between partners. Ultimately, addressing the emotional and behavioural dimensions of jealousy may offer valuable insights for developing targeted interventions to prevent cyber dating abuse perpetrated by women.


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