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Envy and social comparison الحسد

Measuring the self against others and what that costs.

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Qurʾān

القرآن6 shown

Verses named for this subject by hand come first. The rest are found by the subject’s own Arabic and English senses and are shown as lexical matches, not as anchors anyone has confirmed.

Qur'ān 113:5Arabic sense: حسد | English sense: envy

وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ

the harm in the envier when he envies.’

Qur'ān 2:109English sense: envy | Arabic sense: حسد

وَدَّ كَثِيرࣱ مِّنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ لَوۡ يَرُدُّونَكُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ إِيمَٰنِكُمۡ كُفَّارًا حَسَدࣰ ا مِّنۡ عِندِ أَنفُسِهِم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلۡحَقُّۖ فَٱعۡفُواْ وَٱصۡفَحُواْ حَتَّىٰ يَأۡتِيَ ٱللَّهُ بِأَمۡرِهِۦٓۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيۡءࣲ قَدِيرࣱ‏

Even after the truth has become clear to them, many of the People of the Book wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of their selfish envy. Forgive and forbear until God gives his command: He has power over all things

Qur'ān 4:54English sense: envy | Arabic sense: حسد

أَمۡ يَحۡسُدُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ عَلَىٰ مَآ ءَاتَىٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦۖ فَقَدۡ ءَاتَيۡنَآ ءَالَ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ وَٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُم مُّلۡكًا عَظِيمࣰ ا

Do they envy [other] people for the bounty God has granted them? We gave the descendants of Abraham the Scripture and wisdom- and We gave them a great kingdom

Qur'ān 4:32Arabic sense: تتمنوا | English sense: covet

وَلَا تَتَمَنَّوۡاْ مَا فَضَّلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهِۦ بَعۡضَكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲۚ لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبࣱ مِّمَّا ٱكۡتَسَبُواْۖ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبࣱ مِّمَّا ٱكۡتَسَبۡنَۚ وَسۡـَٔلُواْ ٱللَّهَ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمࣰ ا

Do not covet what God has given to some of you more than others- men have the portion they have earned; and women the portion they have earned- you should rather ask God for some of His bounty: He has full knowledge of everything

Qur'ān 48:15Arabic sense: حسد

سَيَقُولُ ٱلۡمُخَلَّفُونَ إِذَا ٱنطَلَقۡتُمۡ إِلَىٰ مَغَانِمَ لِتَأۡخُذُوهَا ذَرُونَا نَتَّبِعۡكُمۡۖ يُرِيدُونَ أَن يُبَدِّلُواْ كَلَٰمَ ٱللَّهِۚ قُل لَّن تَتَّبِعُونَا كَذَٰلِكُمۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ مِن قَبۡلُۖ فَسَيَقُولُونَ بَلۡ تَحۡسُدُونَنَاۚ بَلۡ كَانُواْ لَا يَفۡقَهُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلࣰ ا

When you [believers] set off for somewhere that promises war gains, those who [previously] stayed behind will say, ‘Let us come with you.’ They want to change God’s words, but tell them [Prophet], ‘You may not come with us: God has said this before.’ They will reply, ‘You begrudge us out of jealousy.’ How little they understand

Qur'ān 2:90English sense: envy

بِئۡسَمَا ٱشۡتَرَوۡاْ بِهِۦٓ أَنفُسَهُمۡ أَن يَكۡفُرُواْ بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بَغۡيًا أَن يُنَزِّلَ ٱللَّهُ مِن فَضۡلِهِۦ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنۡ عِبَادِهِۦۖ فَبَآءُو بِغَضَبٍ عَلَىٰ غَضَبࣲۚ وَلِلۡكَٰفِرِينَ عَذَابࣱ مُّهِينࣱ‏

Low indeed is the price for which they have sold their souls by denying the God-sent truth, out of envy that God should send His bounty to any of His servants He pleases. The disbelievers have ended up with wrath upon wrath, and a humiliating torment awaits them

Tafsīr

التفسير6 shown

Commentary on the verses above, at most two editions per verse.

en-asbab-al-nuzul-by-al-wahidi on 2:109en-asbab-al-nuzul-by-al-wahidicommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced

(Many of the people of the Scripture long to make you disbelievers after your belief�) [2:109]. Said Ibn �Abbas: �This verse was revealed about a group of Jews who said to the Muslims after the Battle of Uhud: �Could you not see what has happened to you? If you were truly following the truth, you would not have been defeated. Revert, therefore, to our religion; it is far better for you� �. Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad al-Farisi informed us>Muhammad ibn �Abd Allah ibn al-Fadl> Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hasan> Muhammad ibn Yahya> Abu�l-Yaman> Shu�ayb> al-Zuhri> �Abd al-Rahman ibn �Abd Allah ibn Ka�b ibn Malik> his father who reported that Ka�b al-Ashraf the Jew was a poet who used his poetry to satirize the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, and incite the disbelievers of Quraysh against him. The idolaters and Jews of Medina also used to seriously harm the Messenger of Allah, Allah bles

en-asbab-al-nuzul-by-al-wahidi on 4:54en-asbab-al-nuzul-by-al-wahidicommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced

And We gave them a tremendous kingdom. It has been said, “The tremendous kingdom is having an overview of the secrets of the creatures,” or it is “gazing upon the secrets of the empire such that nothing is hidden.” This is why Abū ʿUthmān Maghribī said, “When someone responds to the Real, the empire re- sponds to him.” In other words, when something appears to him in the empire, he is given news of it. Ibn al-Barqī was one of the great shaykhs of Egypt and possessed perspicacity. Once he became ill and was given medicine. He said, “I will not drink it, for some disaster has happened in the em- pire. Until I find out what happened, I will not drink it.” Thirteen days passed before news arrived that the Qarmatians and fallen on the Sanctuary, killed many people, and worked great destruction. Shaykh al-Islām Anṣārī said, “Servanthood cannot bear more than knowing some and not knowing some,

en-asbab-al-nuzul-by-al-wahidi on 4:32en-asbab-al-nuzul-by-al-wahidicommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced

Do not wish for that whereby God has preferred some of you over others. Men shall have a portion of what they have earned, and women shall have a portion of what they have earned. But ask God of His bounty. Abū Bakr Kattānī said, “When someone has the opinion that he will arrive without expending ef- fort, he is a wisher, and when someone has the opinion that he will arrive by expending effort, he is a drudge.” Whoever fancies that he will reach the goal without toiling is a wisher, and “The incapable are those who follow their own caprice and wish for God.” Whoever fancies that he will reach the Sought by toil and by seeking the Sought is a drudge. Shaykh al-Islām Anṣārī said, “He is not found by seeking, but the seeker finds. Until he finds Him, he will not seek. Whatever can be found by seeking is of little worth. The servant finds the Real before the seeking, but for him seeking is t

en-al-jalalayn on 113:5en-al-jalalayncommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced

and from the evil of an envier when he envies’ when he manifests his envy and behaves in accordance with it — such as the mentioned Labīd from among the Jews who were envious of the Prophet s; the mention of these three elements of evil which are already subsumed by the statement ‘of what He has created’ is because of the severity of their evil.

en-al-jalalayn on 2:109en-al-jalalayncommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced

Many of the People of the Scripture long that law ‘if only that’ represents the import of the verbal noun they might make you disbelievers after you have believed from the envy hasadan is the object denoting reason being of their own souls that is to say their wicked souls have prompted them to this attitude; after the truth with regard to the Prophet s has become clear to them in the Torah; yet pardon leave them be and be forgiving stay away and make no encroachments against them till God brings His command concerning fighting them; truly God has power over all things.

en-al-jalalayn on 4:54en-al-jalalayncommentary on an ayah this subject surfaced

Or nay are they jealous of people namely of the Prophet s for the bounty that God has bestowed upon them in the way of prophethood and abundance of women? In other words they wish that he be deprived of such things saying ‘If he were truly a prophet he would not be concerned with women’. For We gave the House of Abraham his forefather the likes of Moses David and Solomon the Book and wisdom and prophethood and We gave them a mighty kingdom David had ninety–nine women and Solomon had a thousand free women and slavegirls.

Ḥadīth

الحديث6 shown

Sound narrations only, and never matched by text. A narration appears here because a compiler filed it under a chapter this subject maps to, or because someone read it and anchored it. Each row says which.

Sahih Muslim 2957Zuhd And Softening Of Heartsfiled here by the compiler

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ بِلاَلٍ - عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَرَّ بِالسُّوقِ دَاخِلاً مِنْ بَعْضِ الْعَالِيَةِ وَالنَّاسُ كَنَفَتَهُ فَمَرَّ بِجَدْىٍ أَسَكَّ مَيِّتٍ فَتَنَاوَلَهُ فَأَخَذَ بِأُذُنِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَيُّكُمْ يُحِبُّ أَنَّ هَذَا لَهُ بِدِرْهَمٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالُوا مَا نُحِبُّ أَنَّهُ لَنَا بِشَىْءٍ وَمَا نَصْنَعُ بِهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَتُحِبُّونَ أَنَّهُ لَكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا وَاللَّهِ لَوْ كَانَ حَيًّا كَانَ عَيْبًا فِيهِ لأَنَّهُ أَسَكُّ فَكَيْفَ وَهُوَ مَيِّتٌ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ فَوَاللَّهِ لَلدُّنْيَا أَهْوَنُ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ هَذَا عَلَيْكُمْ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Jabir b. Abdullah reported that Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) happened to walk through the bazar coming from the side of 'Aliya and the people were on both his sides. There he found a dead lamb with very short ears. He took hold of his ear and said:Who amongst you would like to have this for a dirham? They said: We do not like to have it even for less than that as it is of no use to us. He said: Do you wish to have it (free of any cost)? They said: By Allah, even if it were alive (we would not have liked to possess that), for there is defect in it as its ear is very short; now it is dead also. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: By Allah, this world is more insignificant in the eye of Allah than it (this dead lamb) is in your eye

Sahih Muslim 2957Zuhd And Softening Of Heartsfiled here by the compiler

حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى الْعَنَزِيُّ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَرْعَرَةَ السَّامِيُّ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، - يَعْنِيَانِ الثَّقَفِيَّ - عَنْ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏ بِمِثْلِهِ غَيْرَ أَنَّ فِي حَدِيثِ الثَّقَفِيِّ فَلَوْ كَانَ حَيًّا كَانَ هَذَا السَّكَكُ بِهِ عَيْبًا ‏.‏

Jabir reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) narrating a hadith like this with a slight variation of wording

Sahih al-Bukhari 6412To Make The Heart Tenderfiled here by the compiler

حَدَّثَنَا الْمَكِّيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ ـ هُوَ ابْنُ أَبِي هِنْدٍ ـ عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِيهِمَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ، الصِّحَّةُ وَالْفَرَاغُ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ عَبَّاسٌ الْعَنْبَرِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا صَفْوَانُ بْنُ عِيسَى، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِنْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَهُ‏.‏

Narrated Ibn `Abbas:The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "There are two blessings that many people are deceived into losing: health and free time

Sahih al-Bukhari 6414To Make The Heart Tenderfiled here by the compiler

حَدَّثَنِي أَحْمَدُ بْنُ الْمِقْدَامِ، حَدَّثَنَا الْفُضَيْلُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَازِمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سَهْلُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيُّ، كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْخَنْدَقِ وَهْوَ يَحْفِرُ وَنَحْنُ نَنْقُلُ التُّرَابَ وَيَمُرُّ بِنَا فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ اللَّهُمَّ لاَ عَيْشَ إِلاَّ عَيْشُ الآخِرَهْ، فَاغْفِرْ لِلأَنْصَارِ وَالْمُهَاجِرَهْ ‏"‏‏.‏ تَابَعَهُ سَهْلُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِثْلَهُ‏.‏

Narrated Sahl bin Sa`d As-Sa`idi:We were in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in (the battle of) Al-Khandaq, and he was digging the trench while we were carrying the earth away. He looked at us and said, "O Allah! There is no life worth living except the life of the Hereafter, so (please) forgive the Ansar and the Emigrants

Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2304Zuhdfiled here by the compiler

حَدَّثَنَا صَالِحُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، وَسُوَيْدُ بْنُ نَصْرٍ، قَالَ صَالِحٌ حَدَّثَنَا وَقَالَ، سُوَيْدٌ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِنْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ نِعْمَتَانِ مَغْبُونٌ فِيهِمَا كَثِيرٌ مِنَ النَّاسِ الصِّحَّةُ وَالْفَرَاغُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِنْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوَهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ ‏.‏ وَرَوَاهُ غَيْرُ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِنْدٍ فَرَفَعُوهُ وَأَوْقَفَهُ بَعْضُهُمْ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي هِنْدٍ ‏.‏

Ibn 'Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said:"Two favors that many of the people squander are health and free time

Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2305Zuhdfiled here by the compiler

حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ هِلاَلٍ الصَّوَّافُ الْبَصْرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا جَعْفَرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ أَبِي طَارِقٍ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ مَنْ يَأْخُذُ عَنِّي هَؤُلاَءِ الْكَلِمَاتِ فَيَعْمَلُ بِهِنَّ أَوْ يُعَلِّمُ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ بِهِنَّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ فَقُلْتُ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي فَعَدَّ خَمْسًا وَقَالَ ‏"‏ اتَّقِ الْمَحَارِمَ تَكُنْ أَعْبَدَ النَّاسِ وَارْضَ بِمَا قَسَمَ اللَّهُ لَكَ تَكُنْ أَغْنَى النَّاسِ وَأَحْسِنْ إِلَى جَارِكَ تَكُنْ مُؤْمِنًا وَأَحِبَّ لِلنَّاسِ مَا تُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِكَ تَكُنْ مُسْلِمًا وَلاَ تُكْثِرِ الضَّحِكَ فَإِنَّ كَثْرَةَ الضَّحِكِ تُمِيتُ الْقَلْبَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لاَ نَعْرِفُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ ‏.‏ وَالْحَسَنُ لَمْ يَسْمَعْ مِنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ شَيْئًا هَكَذَا رُوِيَ عَنْ أَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ وَعَلِيِّ بْنِ زَيْدٍ قَالُوا لَمْ يَسْمَعِ الْحَسَنُ مِنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏.‏ وَرَوَى أَبُو عُبَيْدَةَ النَّاجِيُّ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ قَوْلَهُ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏.‏

Al-Hasan narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said:"Who will take these statements from me, so that he may act upon them, or teach one who will act upon them?" So Abu Hurairah said: "I said: 'I shall O Messenger of Allah!' So he (s.a.w) took my hand and enumerated five (things), he said: "Be on guard against the unlawful and you shall be the most worshiping among the people, be satisfied with what Allah has alloted for you and you shall be the richest of the people, be kind to your neighbor and you shall be a believer, love for the people what you love for yourself and you shall be a Muslim. And do not laugh too much, for indeed increased laughter kills the heart

Classical works

كتب التراث6 shown

Arabic originals, reached through the subject’s Arabic senses. Interpretive sources, never proof of a ruling.

riyad-salihin §1746riyad-salihinArabic sense: الحسد, الغبطة, حسد, غبطه

1377 وعن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لا حسد إلا في اثنتين رجل آتاه الله مالا فسلطه على هلكته في الحق ورجل آتاه الله الحكمة فهو يقضي بها ويعلمها متفق عليه والمراد بالحسد الغبطة وهو أن يتمنى مثله

madarij §4779madarijArabic sense: الحسد, الغبطة, حسد, غبطه

وأما الضيق عن الصبر نفاسة فهو أن يضيق ذرعه بالصبر عن محبوبه وهذا هو الصبر الذي لا يذم من أنواع الصبر سواه أو ما كان من وسيلته والحامل له على هذا الضيق مغالاته بمحبوبه وهي النفاسة فإنه لمنافسته ورغبته لا يسامح نفسه بالصبر عنه والمنافسة هي كمال الرغبة في الشيء ومنع الغير منه إن لم يمدح فيه المشاركة والمسابقة إليه إن محدت فيه المشاركة قال تعالى @QB@ وفي ذلك فليتنافس المتنافسون @QE@ وبين المنافسة والغبطة جمع وفرق وبينهما وبين الحسد أيضا جمع وفرق

ihya §10943ihyaArabic sense: الغبطة, حسد, غبطه

إحداها أنه لو ظهر من هو أحسن منه وعظا أو أغزر منه علما والناس له أشد قبولا فرح به ولم يحسده نعم لا بأس بالغبطة وهو أن يتمنى لنفسه مثل علمه

ihya §9658ihyaArabic sense: الحسد, حسد, غبطه

وهذه تسمى غبطة وقد تختص باسم المنافسة وقد تسمى المنافسة حسدا والحسد منافسة ويوضع أحد اللفظين موضع الآخر ولا حجر في الأسامي بعد فهم المعاني

madarij §3509madarijArabic sense: الغبطة, حسد, غبطه

كل حلم أتى بغير اقتدار % حجة لاجىء إليها اللئام وإذا انحرفت عن خلق الأناة والرفق انحرفت : إما إلى عجلة وطيش وعنف وإما إلى تفريط وإضاعة والرفق والأناة بينهما وإذا انحرفت عن خلق العزة التي وهبها الله للمؤمنين انحرفت : إما إلى كبر وإما إلى ذل والعزة المحمودة بينهما وإذا انحرفت عن خلق الشجاعة انحرفت : إما إلى تهور وإقدام غير محمود وإما إلى جبن وتأخر مذموم وإذا انحرفت عن خلق المنافسة في المراتب العالية والغبطة انحرفت : إما إلى حسد وإما إلى مهانة وعجز وذل ورضى بالدون

madarij §582madarijArabic sense: الحسد, حسد

وأما المحرمات التي عليه فالكبر والرياء والعجب والحسد والغفلة والنفاق وهي نوعان كفر ومعصية

Research library

المكتبة البحثية205 works held

Peer-reviewed work held with its DOI and abstract, labelled with the study design its publication types report. None of it has been read or assessed, so nothing here may be cited as showing anything. Retracted work is held for the record but never listed; a review that a later version replaced is listed under its replacement and marked.

10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101302Current opinion in psychology (2022)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by us; matched on Jealousy, Social Comparison, envy, social comparison

Social comparison and envy on social media: A critical review.: There is both public and scholarly concern that (passive) social media use decreases well-being by providing a fertile ground for harmful (upward) social comparison and envy. The present review critically summarizes evidence on this assumption. We first comprehensively synthesize existing evidence, including both prior reviews and the most recent publications (2019-2021). Results show that earlier research finds social comparison and envy to be common on social media and linked to lower well-bei

10.1037/emo0000923Emotion (Washington, D.C.) (2021)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by us; matched on Jealousy, envy

Counterfactual thoughts distinguish benign and malicious envy.: When people encounter others surpassing them in terms of an important quality, possession, or achievement, they often think about what might have happened differently so that they would have obtained a better outcome. Such upward counterfactual thoughts have been shown to contribute to the intensity of envy. We investigated whether specific counterfactual thoughts distinguish different forms of envy, namely benign envy, which entails upward motivation, and malicious envy-which entails hostility.

10.1037/xge0000538Journal of experimental psychology. General (2019)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by us; matched on Jealousy, envy

Mitigating malicious envy: Why successful individuals should reveal their failures.: People often feel malicious envy, a destructive interpersonal emotion, when they compare themselves to successful peers. Across 3 online experiments and a field experiment of entrepreneurs, we identify an interpersonal strategy that can mitigate feelings of malicious envy in observers: revealing one's failures. Despite a general reluctance to reveal one's failures-as they are happening and after they have occurred-across four experiments, we find that revealing both successes and failures encoun

10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.03.012Body image (2021)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by us; matched on Social Comparison, social comparison, upward comparison

Young women's body image following upwards comparison to Instagram models: The role of physical appearance perfectionism and cognitive emotion regulation.: The present study examined whether trait physical appearance perfectionism moderates young women's body image following upwards appearance comparison to idealized body images on social media, and whether cognitive coping mediates the relationship between physical appearance perfectionism and resulting body image from social comparison processes. Female undergraduate students (N = 142) were randomly assigned to either 1) compare the size of their body parts to the body parts of attractive Instagr

10.1177/0269881121991576Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England) (2021)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by us; matched on Jealousy, jealousy

Intranasal oxytocin may help maintain romantic bonds by decreasing jealousy evoked by either imagined or real partner infidelity.: Background: While romantic jealousy may help to maintain relationships, following partner infidelity and an irretrievable loss of trust it can also promote break-ups. The neuropeptide oxytocin can enhance the maintenance of social bonds and reduce couple conflict, although its influence on jealousy evoked by imagined or real infidelity is unclear. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the effects of intranasal oxytocin (24 IU) on romantic jealousy in both males and females in imagined and real c

10.1177/1524838018801331Trauma, violence & abuse (2020)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by us; matched on Jealousy, jealousy

Perpetrator Risk Markers for Intimate Terrorism and Situational Couple Violence: A Meta-Analysis.: Johnson developed a typology of intimate partner violence (IPV) which includes two different categories of violence: situational couple violence (SCV) and intimate terrorism (IT). Johnson proposed that IT is more likely to be found in clinical samples (e.g., batterer intervention programs or domestic violence shelters) compared to nonclinical (general population) samples. This meta-analysis (n = 149 studies; k = 216 effect sizes) examines differences in the strengths of IPV risk markers in clini

Research library, full list

101 to 125 of 205
Mujcic R, Oswald AJ (2018)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usSocial science & medicine (1982)14 citations

Is envy harmful to a society's psychological health and wellbeing? A longitudinal study of 18,000 adults.

Nearly 100 years ago, the philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell warned of the social dangers of widespread envy. One view of modern society is that it is systematically developing a set of institutions -- such as social media and new forms of advertising -- that make people feel inadequate and envious of others. If so, how might that be influencing the psychological health of our citizens? This paper reports the first large-scale longitudinal research into envy and its possible repercussions. The paper studies 18,000 randomly selected individuals over the years 2005, 2009, and 2013. Using measures of SF-36 mental health and psychological well-being, four main conclusions emerge. First, the young are especially susceptible. Levels of envy fall as people grow older. This longitudinal finding is consistent with a cross-sectional pattern noted recently by Nicole E. Henniger and Chri

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Xiang Y, Kong F, Wen X, Wu Q, Mo L (2016)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usNeuroImage25 citations

Neural correlates of envy: Regional homogeneity of resting-state brain activity predicts dispositional envy.

Envy differs from common negative emotions across cultures. Although previous studies have explored the neural basis of episodic envy via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), little is known about the neural processes associated with dispositional envy. In the present study, we used regional homogeneity (ReHo) as an index in resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) to identify brain regions involved in individual differences in dispositional envy, as measured by the Dispositional Envy Scale (DES). Results showed that ReHo in the inferior/middle frontal gyrus (IFG/MFG) and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC) positively predicted dispositional envy. Moreover, of all the personality traits measured by the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R), only neuroticism was significantly associated with dispositional envy. Furthermore, neuroticism mediated the underlying association between the

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Falcon RG (2015)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usEmotion (Washington, D.C.)5 citations

Is envy categorical or dimensional? An empirical investigation using taxometric analysis.

Researchers frequently disagree about the latent structure of emotions. Taxometric analysis--a method for determining whether the latent structure of a construct is best defined as categorical or purely dimensional--can be a useful tool for resolving these debates. The present study used taxometric analysis to investigate the latent structure of envy. Scholars disagree about whether envy is necessarily malicious or whether it can also be benign. Van de Ven, Zeelenberg, and Pieters (2009) claim that benign envy exists, and that it is distinct from malicious envy. Much of their evidence for this claim relies on latent class analysis, which can be biased toward creating categories with data that actually vary dimensionally (Cleland, Rothschild, & Haslam, 2000; Uebersax, 1999). Therefore, taxometric analysis provides a more conservative test for an underlying categorical structure. A daily d

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Steinbeis N, Singer T (2014)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usNeuroImage24 citations

Projecting my envy onto you: neurocognitive mechanisms of an offline emotional egocentricity bias.

Humans often project their own beliefs, desires and emotions onto others, indicating an inherent egocentrism. In five studies we investigated the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying emotional egocentricity bias (EEB) and specifically an offline EEB, defined as the projection of one's own tendency to react with a certain emotional response pattern in a given situation onto other people. We used a competitive reaction time game associated with monetary gains and losses that allowed inducing feelings of envy and Schadenfreude. While we found evidence for the first hand experience of envy and Schadenfreude, we also observed an offline bias, that is participants on average projected feelings of envy and Schadenfreude when having to judge others. Importantly the extent of experienced and projected social emotions were highly correlated. This bias was observed when participants were both direc

matched on Jealousy (mesh), envy (text)

Chester DS, Powell CA, Smith RH, Joseph JE, Kedia G, Combs DJ, DeWall CN (2013)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usSocial neuroscience10 citations

Justice for the average Joe: the role of envy and the mentalizing network in the deservingness of others' misfortunes.

The misfortunes of enviable individuals are met by observers with pleasure whereas those of "average", non-enviable individuals elicit pain. These responses are mirrored in deservingness judgments, as enviable individuals' misfortunes are perceived as deserved and those of non-enviable individuals perceived as undeserved. However, the neural underpinnings of these deservingness disparities remain unknown. To explore this phenomenon, we utilized fMRI to test the hypotheses that (A) non-enviable targets' misfortunes would be associated with activation of brain regions that mediate empathic responding (pain matrix, mentalizing network) and not for enviable targets and (B) that activation of those regions would predict decreases in deservingness judgments. Supporting our first hypothesis, the misfortunes of non-enviable targets (as opposed to good fortunes) were associated with activation of

matched on Jealousy (mesh), envy (text)

Zhong J, Liu Y, Zhang E, Luo J, Chen J (2013)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usNeuroscience letters7 citations

Individuals' attentional bias toward an envied target's name: an event-related potential study.

Individuals may pay more attention to information about envied targets. Thus, we further investigate the neural correlates underlying the cognitive processing of envy-related stimuli. Participants read information about target persons characterized by two domains: levels of possession and self-relevance of comparison. Event-related potentials (ERPs) were then recorded for three target names (high-envy, moderate-envy, and low-envy) while participants performed a three-stimulus oddball task. The results showed that high- and moderate-envy target names elicited larger P300 amplitudes than did low-envy target names. Specifically, high-envy target names elicited larger P300 amplitudes than did low-envy target names at the left, central, and right sites; in contrast, moderate-envy target names elicited larger P300 amplitudes than did low-envy target names only at central sites. P300 amplitudes

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Fiske ST (2013)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usNebraska Symposium on Motivation. Nebraska Symposium on Motivation7 citations

Varieties of (de) humanization: divided by competition and status.

Recognizing or denying another's humanity varies predictably along apparently universal dimensions of the other's perceived warmth (trustworthiness) and competence. New data reveal distinct neural and behavioral signatures of (de)humanizing responses to distinct kinds of ingroups and outgroups on these dimensions. The most dehumanized outgroups (low on both warmth and competence) elicit disgust and avoidance, devalued as literally worth-less. In contrast, groups disliked for seeming cold but respected for competence elicit envy and Schadenfreude. Reactions to pitied outgroups--disrespected for seeming incompetent, but apparently likable enough for seeming trustworthy and warm--focus on prescriptions for their behavior. The humanization of ingroup members, who are both liked and respected, reflects individuating processes in impression formation, not necessarily accurate but at least thre

matched on Jealousy (mesh), envy (text)

Krizan Z, Johar O (2012)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usJournal of personality28 citations

Envy divides the two faces of narcissism.

In this article, we test psychodynamic assumptions about envy and narcissism by examining malicious envy in the context of narcissistic grandiosity and vulnerability. In Study 1, students (N = 192) and community adults (N = 161) completed trait measures of narcissism, envy, and schadenfreude. In Study 2 (N = 121), participants relived an episode of envy, and cognitive-affective components of envy were examined in the context of both self- and informant reports of their envy and narcissism. In Study 3 (N = 69), narcissism was linked to reports of envy covertly induced in the laboratory. Vulnerable narcissism was strongly and consistently related to dispositional envy and schadenfreude (Studies 1-2), as well as to all cognitive-affective components of envy (Study 2). Furthermore, it facilitated envy and schadenfreude toward a high-status peer (Study 3). Grandiose narcissism was slightly ne

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Sawada M, Hayama D (2012)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usPsychological reports7 citations

Dispositional vengeance and anger on schadenfreude.

The aim of this study was to construct a model of the elicitation of schadenfreude through vengeance, envy, and trait anger. Japanese undergraduates (239 men, 284 women) completed questionnaires assessing dispositional vengeance, trait anger, and empathy. Then, participants read two scenarios: one about a target person's success and one about his or her misfortune. After reading the first scenario, the participants were asked to rate their envy toward the target person, then their feelings of schadenfreude after the second. A Japanese version of the Vengeance Scale was developed, and its construct validity and test-retest reliability were confirmed. Structural equation modeling was applied to examine how dispositional vengeance, trait anger, and envy were related to schadenfreude. The results indicated that envy and dispositional vengeance were significantly related to scores on the scha

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Fiske ST (2010)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usThe American psychologist49 citations

Envy up, scorn down: how comparison divides us.

Comparison compels people, even as it stresses, depresses, and divides us. Comparison is only natural, but the collateral damage reveals envy upward and scorn downward, and these emotions, arguably, poison people and their relationships. Summaries of several experiments--using questionnaire, psychometric, response-time, electromyographic, and neuroimaging data--illustrate the dynamics of envy up and scorn down, as well as proposing how to mitigate their effects. Initial studies suggest the importance of status. Other data show how scorn down minimizes thought about another's mind; power deactivates mental concepts. Regarding envy up, other studies demonstrate that Schadenfreude (malicious joy) targets envied outgroups. However, counterstereotypic information, empathy, and outcome dependency can mitigate both scorn and envy.

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Rodriguez Mosquera PM, Parrott WG, Hurtado de Mendoza A (2010)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usJournal of personality and social psychology9 citations

I fear your envy, I rejoice in your coveting: on the ambivalent experience of being envied by others.

We present 2 studies on being envied. Study 1 used an emotional narrative methodology. We asked 44 Spanish (23 women, 21 men) and 48 European American (36 women, 12 men) participants to tell us about a recent experience in which others envied them. We classified the antecedents, relationship context, markers of envy, coping strategies, and positive and negative implications of being envied. In Study 2, 174 Spanish (88 women, 86 men) and 205 European American (106 women, 99 men) participants responded to a situation in which they had something someone else wanted. We manipulated the object of desire (academic achievement or having "a better life"). We measured individual differences in orientation to achievement (i.e., vertical individualism), cooperation and interpersonal harmony (i.e., horizontal collectivism), a zero-sum view of success, beliefs that success begets hostile coveting, fe

matched on Jealousy (mesh), envy (text)

van de Ven N, Zeelenberg M, Pieters R (2010)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usPsychological science16 citations

Warding off the evil eye: when the fear of being envied increases prosocial behavior.

The fear of being envied makes people act prosocially, in an attempt to ward off the potentially destructive effects of envy. In three experiments, people who were in a superior position and could be envied were more likely than control participants to give time-consuming advice to a potentially envious person or to help a potentially envious person pick up erasers she had accidentally scattered. However, helping behavior increased only if envy was likely to be malicious rather than benign. People who were better off did not increase their helping behavior toward people in general, but increased their helping only toward the potentially envious. This finding is consistent with the idea that the better off act more prosocially as an appeasement strategy. The fear of being envied serves useful group functions, because it triggers prosocial behavior that is likely to dampen the potentially

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van de Ven N, Zeelenberg M, Pieters R (2009)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usEmotion (Washington, D.C.)94 citations

Leveling up and down: the experiences of benign and malicious envy.

Envy is the painful emotion caused by the good fortune of others. This research empirically supports the distinction between two qualitatively different types of envy, namely benign and malicious envy. It reveals that the experience of benign envy leads to a moving-up motivation aimed at improving one's own position, whereas the experience of malicious envy leads to a pulling-down motivation aimed at damaging the position of the superior other. Study 1 used guided recall of the two envy types in a culture (the Netherlands) that has separate words for benign and malicious envy. Analyses of the experiential content of these emotions found the predicted differences. Study 2 and 3 used one sample from the United States and one from Spain, respectively, where a single word exists for both envy types. A latent class analysis based on the experiential content of envy confirmed the existence of

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Gino F, Pierce L (2009)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usPsychological science34 citations

Dishonesty in the name of equity.

Under what conditions do people act dishonestly to help or hurt others? We addressed this question by examining the influence of a previously overlooked factor-the beneficiary or victim of dishonest acts. In two experiments, we randomly paired participants and manipulated their wealth levels through an initial lottery. We then observed how inequity between partners influenced the likelihood of one dishonestly helping or hurting the other, while varying the financial incentives for dishonest behavior. The results show that financial self-interest cannot fully explain people's tendency to dishonestly help or hurt others. Rather, such dishonesty is influenced by emotional reactions to wealth-based inequity, even when the dishonesty bears a personal financial cost. Envy evoked by negative inequity led to hurting behavior, whereas guilt induced by positive inequity motivated helping behavior.

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Shamay-Tsoory SG (2008)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usJournal of autism and developmental disorders33 citations

Recognition of 'fortune of others' emotions in Asperger syndrome and high functioning autism.

'Fortune of others' emotions, such as envy and gloating over the other's misfortune, are complex emotions experienced in situations where events are presumed to be desirable or undesirable for another person. The present paper explores the notion that individuals with AS and HFA are impaired in understanding of envy and gloating. We tested the ability of adults with AS/HFA to understand envy and gloating and compared their performance to that of age-matched healthy controls. The 'fortune of others' emotion task and an additional theory-of-mind (ToM) task were based on a task designed to assess ToM on the basis of eye gaze direction. Individuals with AS and HFA showed no difficulty on basic ToM conditions, but were impaired in their ability to identify envy and gloating. Furthermore, the ability to recognize these emotions was related to scores on a self-rating scale of perspective-taking

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Shamay-Tsoory SG, Tibi-Elhanany Y, Aharon-Peretz J (2007)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usBrain : a journal of neurology58 citations

The green-eyed monster and malicious joy: the neuroanatomical bases of envy and gloating (schadenfreude).

Facing a protagonist's emotional mental state can trigger social emotions (or 'fortune of others' emotion), such as envy or gloating, which reflect one's assessment of the consequences of the other's fortune. Here we suggest that these social emotions are mediated by the mentalizing network. The present article explores the notion that the understanding of social competitive emotions is particularly impaired in patients with ventromedial (VM) prefrontal lesions. By manipulating a simple Theory of Mind (ToM) task, we tested the ability of patients with localized lesions to understand 'fortune of others' emotions: envy and gloating (schadenfreude). Patients were also assessed for their ability to recognize control physical and identification conditions. While envy is an example of a negative experience in the face of another's fortunes, gloat is thought to be a positive experience in the f

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Cohen-Charash Y, Mueller JS (2007)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usThe Journal of applied psychology42 citations

Does perceived unfairness exacerbate or mitigate interpersonal counterproductive work behaviors related to envy?

The authors examined how the interaction between perceived unfairness and episodic envy predicts interpersonal counterproductive work behaviors toward the envied other. In 2 studies using different samples and methods to elicit envy, predictions were compared based on the social exchange and attribution models of fairness. The results support the social exchange model of fairness, showing that higher levels of envy and perceived unfairness result in higher levels of interpersonal counterproductive work behavior (Study 1), especially among high self-esteem individuals (Study 2).

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Smith RH, Kim SH (2007)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usPsychological bulletin158 citations

Comprehending envy.

The authors reviewed the psychological research on envy. The authors examined definitional challenges associated with studying envy, such as the important distinction between envy proper (which contains hostile feelings) and benign envy (which is free of hostile feelings). The authors concluded that envy is reasonably defined as an unpleasant, often painful emotion characterized by feelings of inferiority, hostility, and resentment caused by an awareness of a desired attribute enjoyed by another person or group of persons. The authors examined questions such as why people envy, why envy contains hostile feelings, and why it has a tendency to transmute itself. Finally, the authors considered the role of envy in helping understand other research domains and discussed ways in which people cope with the emotion.

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Samra A, Warburton WA, Collins AM (2022)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usJournal of behavioral addictions36 citations

Social comparisons: A potential mechanism linking problematic social media use with depression.

Background and aims: The majority of Australians are regular users of social media, especially young adults. Of concern, is that a minority of people appear to use social media in an addictive or problematic way which is associated with negative psychological outcomes such as depression. Social comparisons, where users compare themselves to others on social media, have also been linked with depression. Therefore, the key aim of the study was to determine whether social comparisons mediate the relationship between Problematic Social Media Use (PSMU) and depression. Method: In a two-part study 144 participants (65 females) answered a series of self-report questions assessing factors relating to PSMU and then came into the lab to view a series of social media images, (pre-tested to be upward or downward comparisons). Results: Females used social media more problematically, liked more upward

matched on Social Comparison (mesh), social comparison (text), upward comparison (text)

Midgley C, Thai S, Lockwood P, Kovacheff C, Page-Gould E (2021)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usJournal of personality and social psychology46 citations

When every day is a high school reunion: Social media comparisons and self-esteem.

Although past research has shown that social comparisons made through social media contribute to negative outcomes, little is known about the nature of these comparisons (domains, direction, and extremity), variables that determine comparison outcomes (post valence, perceiver's self-esteem), and how these comparisons differ from those made in other contexts (e.g., text messages, face-to-face interactions). In 4 studies (N = 798), we provide the first comprehensive analysis of how individuals make and respond to social comparisons on social media, using comparisons made in real-time while browsing news feeds (Study 1), experimenter-generated comparisons (Study 2), and comparisons made on social media versus in other contexts (Studies 3 and 4). More frequent and more extreme upward comparisons resulted in immediate declines in self-evaluations as well as cumulative negative effects on indi

matched on Social Comparison (mesh), social comparison (text), upward comparison (text)

Li Y, Liu P (2025)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usPsychology, health & medicine1 citations

Upward social comparison on social networking sites (SNSs) and individual well-being: a moderated mediation model.

To explore the influence of upward social comparison on social networking sites on individual well-being, as well as the role of envy and nature connectedness, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 1078 college students. The results indicated: (1) upward social comparison on social networking sites had a significant negative effect on well-being; (2) envy played a mediating role in the relationship between upward social comparison on social networking sites and well-being; and (3) nature connectedness moderated the direct effect of upward social comparison on social networking sites on well-being and the mediating effect of envy. The present study revealed the relationship between upward social comparison on SNSs and well-being and its internal mechanism, providing concrete ways to intervene individual well-being in the Internet era.

matched on envy (text), social comparison (text), Social Networking (mesh)

Kyegombe N, Stern E, Buller AM (2022)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usSocial science & medicine (1982)11 citations

"We saw that jealousy can also bring violence": A qualitative exploration of the intersections between jealousy, infidelity and intimate partner violence in Rwanda and Uganda.

Efforts to prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) have been informed by emerging research on common triggers of IPV and the importance of engaging with couple dynamics. This paper reports on secondary data analysis from the qualitative evaluations of the SASA! intervention in Uganda, (conducted in 2012 involving 40 community members) and the Indashyikirwa intervention in Rwanda, (conducted between 2014 and 2018 involving 14 couples and 36 other stakeholders). It explores the under-researched linkages between romantic jealousy and IPV, and describes how these interventions mitigated it. A qualitative approach using interviews and focus groups with women and men was used. Overall, jealousy was common in both settings, and led to relationship challenges including breakdown of trust; quarrels about resources; conflict, controlling behaviours, and ultimately, physical and emotional IPV. Jeal

matched on Jealousy (mesh), jealousy (text)

Dennison SM, Stewart A (2006)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usInternational journal of offender therapy and comparative criminology8 citations

Facing rejection: new relationships, broken relationships, shame, and stalking.

This study provides a preliminary examination of the relationship among shame-proneness, emotions, and persistent, unwanted courting or pursuit behaviour. A total of 222 undergraduates completed a questionnaire measuring responses to the termination of a relationship or the declining of a date. The Test of Self-Conscious Affect was used to measure shame. Although shame was unrelated to types of intrusive behaviour, individuals who engaged more repetitively in covert pursuit tended to ruminate more over their love interest than did those who rarely engaged in such behaviour. Rumination was positively correlated with shame. Self-harm behaviours and harm toward others were associated with feelings of sadness and depression, and those who engaged more often in harm toward others also reported feelings of anger and jealousy. Conclusions are made regarding the function of shame and other emoti

matched on Jealousy (mesh), jealousy (text)

Shu X, Zeng J (2026)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usThe Journal of social psychology

Playing it down: the hidden game of income understating.

Income is a sensitive yet common topic in conversations. When asked about their income in daily scenarios, do people tend to understate it, overstate it, or state the truth? Across five main experiments and two supplementary studies (N = 939), we consistently observed an income understatement effect across 15 conversational contexts involving 11 types of interpersonal relationships. The effect emerged both when participants responded to hypothetical income scenarios (Study 1 and Supplementary Studies 1-2) and when they discussed their actual self-reported income (Study 2). Guided by the theory of Sensitivity about Being the Target of a Threatening Upward Comparison (STTUC), we identified concerns about others' envy and potential borrowing requests as key psychological mechanisms underlying this phenomenon (Studies 3-4), particularly under downward social comparison conditions (Study 5).

matched on envy (text), social comparison (text), upward comparison (text)

Crusius J, Mussweiler T (2012)MEDLINE-indexed journal, not yet read by usEmotion (Washington, D.C.)22 citations

When people want what others have: the impulsive side of envious desire.

Envy is the unpleasant emotion that can arise when people are exposed to others with superior possessions. Common wisdom and scholarly opinion suggest that when people experience envy they may be motivated to obtain the others' superior possession. Despite the vast interpersonal, societal, and economical consequences attributed to this potential aspect of envious responding, experimental demonstrations of the affective and behavioral consequences of envy-inducing situations are scarce. We propose that social comparisons with better-off others trigger an impulsive envious response that entails a behavioral tendency to strive for their superior good. However, given that the experience of envy is painful, self-threatening, and met with social disapproval, people typically attempt to control their envious reactions. Doing so requires self-control capacities, so that envious reactions may onl

matched on envy (text), social comparison (text), upward comparison (text)

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