Abstract

This case study explores the experience of digital jealousy triggered by social media behavior—specifically Instagram stories, the ‘seen’ feature on DMs, and passive engagement. Through the narrative of a 21-year-old college student in a long-distance relationship, we examine the psychological impact of online ambiguity, algorithmic exposure, and perceived rejection. The findings are analyzed using concepts like relational uncertainty, cognitive distortion, and social comparison theory in the context of cyberpsychology.

Key Words: digital jealousy, Instagram, seen message anxiety, cyberpsychology, social comparison, emotional triggers, parasocial expectations

1. Introduction

Digital platforms have transformed communication, intimacy, and conflict in relationships. Features like “story views,” “last seen,” and “read receipts” introduce new dynamics—particularly around expectation, comparison, and perceived neglect. Digital jealousy refers to the negative emotional response triggered by ambiguous or threatening online behaviors of romantic partners, often misinterpreted due to lack of context.

2. Subject Profile

• Name (Pseudonym): Rhea
• Age: 21
• Gender: Female
• Location: Bhopal, India
• Background: Final-year psychology student in a long-distance relationship with her boyfriend in Delhi.
• Platform Concerned: Instagram (DMs and Stories)

3. Presenting Concern

Rhea reported increased emotional stress due to her boyfriend frequently seeing her messages but not replying, while simultaneously posting Instagram stories and liking posts from mutual female friends.

“He saw my text at 11:47. Then 10 minutes later, he posted a meme and liked her pic… but didn’t reply to me.”

She described a cycle of anxiety, comparison, and rumination, checking when he was online and who viewed her stories. This behavior began mildly but increased during academic exams and periods of emotional vulnerability.

5. Psychological Analysis

A. Relational Uncertainty (Knobloch & Solomon, 1999)

• Rhea’s jealousy stemmed from ambiguous online signals. Digital silence, unlike face-to-face avoidance, creates unclear cues that fuel doubt and overthinking.

B. Cognitive Distortions

• “If he saw and didn’t reply, he doesn’t care about me.”
• These thoughts were emotionally loaded but logically inconsistent.

C. Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954)

• Constant comparison with other girls her boyfriend engaged with online worsened her self-image.
• She began doubting her looks, intellect, and compatibility.

D. Intermittent Reinforcement

• Her boyfriend would eventually reply warmly, making her feel guilty and unsure if she was “overreacting.”
• This made her emotionally dependent on validation after digital neglect.

6. Emotional Outcome

Rhea reported:

• Sleep disturbances
• Mood swings
• Deleting posts when they didn’t get viewed by him
• Losing focus in studies

Eventually, she initiated a direct conversation with her partner, but described the emotional fatigue as “unseen damage.”

7. Subject’s Reflection

“I don’t think he was trying to hurt me. But I realized how social media made my anxiety so visible—even to me. I was becoming someone I didn’t recognize.”

8. Discussion

Rhea’s case reflects how algorithmic visibility, platform features, and ambiguous communication create psychological strain in digital relationships. Seen receipts and story views are not inherently harmful, but without emotional boundaries or communication, they foster projection and anxiety.

9. Ethical Considerations

• Consent was obtained for publication and analysis.
• Identifiers anonymized.
• No diagnostic labels were assigned—this is an experiential case, not a clinical diagnosis.

10. Conclusion

This case highlights the need for digital literacy in relationships, especially among young adults. Awareness about emotional hygiene in social media spaces and better emotional communication can reduce tech-induced relational stress.

References (APA Style)

• Knobloch, L. K., & Solomon, D. H. (1999). A relational framing approach to relational uncertainty. Communication Monographs, 66(1), 60–82.
• Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7(2), 117–140.
• Elhai, J. D., Levine, J. C., Dvorak, R. D., & Hall, B. J. (2017). Fear of missing out, need for touch, anxiety and depression are related to problematic smartphone use. Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 509–516.