PH
Jealousy isn't limited to established relationships.
People can experience it during early dating when commitment hasn't yet been clearly defined.
Uncertainty about exclusivity can make potential rivals especially noticeable.
This creates an unusual situation where someone may feel emotionally possessive without having mutually agreed on relationship boundaries.
The feeling itself doesn't create an entitlement to control the other person's behavior.
Sometimes jealousy arrives before the relationship label does.
© Journal of Social and Personal Relationships