The Role of Subjective and Objective Social Status in the Generation of Envy.

ABSTRACT: Envy is a negative emotion experienced in response to another person's higher status. However, little is known about the composition of its most important element: status. The present research investigates the two main forms of social status (objective and subjective) in the generation of envy. In Study 1, participants recounted real-life situations when they felt envious; in Study 2 we examined whether the effect was the same in a controlled situation. We consistently found that those who were the most respected in the eyes of others were envied more than the richest ones. Furthermore, perceived deservingness of the superior other's success differentiated between benign and malicious envy. Although previous studies focused on material comparisons when investigating envy, our results indic

SUBMITTER: Bollo H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7770237 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature