When envy leads to schadenfreude

Abstract

Previous research has yielded inconsistent findings concerning the relationship between envy and schadenfreude. Three studies examined whether the distinction between benign and malicious envy can resolve this inconsistency. We found that malicious envy is related to schadenfreude, while benign envy is not. This result held both in the Netherlands where benign and malicious envy are indicated by separate words (Study 1: Sample A, N = 139; Sample B, N = 150), and in the USA where a single word is used to denote both types (Study 2, N = 180; Study 3, N = 349). Moreover, the effect of malicious envy on schadenfreude was independent of other antecedents of schadenfreude (such as feelings of inferiority, disliking the target person, anger, and perceived deservedness). These findings improve our understanding of the antecedents of schadenfreude and help reconcile seemingly contradictory findings on the relationship between envy and schadenfreude.

A Schadenfreude Inducing Misfortune Reduces Envy

“…Past research found that when people are (maliciously) envious of someone, they typically experience more schadenfreude when that person suffers a misfortune ( Van de Ven et al, 2015). Our current hypothesis is that after experiencing schadenfreude in such situations, envy will be reduced.…”

“…As envy arises over a specific form of an imbalance (the other having something that we want or do not want him/her to have, Van de Ven, Zeelenberg, & Pieters, 2009), a misfortune happening to them might help to restore some of that balance. People do indeed tend to feel more schadenfreude when a (maliciously) envied person suffers a misfortune (Van de Ven et al, 2015). But does experiencing schadenfreude reduce subsequent envy?…”

Magic, explanations, and evil: On the origins and design of witches and sorcerers

“…Beliefs in the harmful effects of envy likely exist because envy drives malice. Individuals who experience envy are more likely to injure betterpositioned targets (Smith and Kim 2007;Miceli and Castelfranchi 2007) and even derive pleasure when envied persons suffer (van de Ven et al 2015;Smith et al 1996). Thus, a person who expresses envy betrays a desire to harm, making them a key suspect after things go wrong.…”

An Ungrateful Disposition: Psychometric Properties of the Dispositional Envy Scale in Brazil

“…Indeed, some studies have indicated that envy can increase the positive affect arising from the satisfaction felt when the goal of reducing the status of the object of their envy is attained (van de Ven et al, 2014), it can induce hostile and resentful behaviors (Duffy, Scott, Shaw, Tepper, & Aquino, 2012), and it can shift attention toward the object of their envy (Hill, DelPriore, & Vaughan, 2011). In this sense, envy-eliciting situations cause malicious envy if the envied person's advantage is evaluated as subjectively unmerited (van de Ven et al, 2012).…”

“…The hostility component is linked to feelings of ill will and anger that result from subjective beliefs that an injustice has occurred whereas the depressive component is related to feelings of inferiority that result from unfavorable social comparisons. Considering that social comparisons affect personal assessments regarding the person who is experiencing envy, such comparisons can also affect the person's self-esteem and thus cause the that person to express unhappiness with his/her life (Tesser, 1991). Thus, for those who are more inclined to experience envy and who exhibit characteristics of high dispositional envy, social comparisons often lower their self-esteem and cause them to perceive themselves as inferior (Milfont & Gouveia, 2009).…”