Originally Posted by
Morpheus
I think jealousy can be both a natural reaction or a damaging emotion depending on the circumstances.
An example of where jealousy is a natural reaction is when a person finds out their spouse/partner has been having an affair. I think it would be somewhat strange if one didn't feel jealous in this situation (along with a whole myriad of other emotions).
However, jealousy can be damaging when its not backed by fact and purely due to suspicion of a loved ones affections/ behaviour. In this case its just possessiveness (as pointed out by Kelso).
As to whether its women or men that are more prone to jealousy....I think that totally depends on the individual.