What makes envy hostile: Perceived injustice, or a frustrated search for an explanation?

Thumbnail Image
Date
2011-01-01
Authors
Johar, Omesh
Major Professor
Advisor
Zlata Krizan
Committee Member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Altmetrics
Abstract

Envy often manifests as hostility or derogation of the superior individual. Two experiments investigated whether perceptions of injustice shape such hostility (in the envier). In Experiment 1, responses of participants to hypothetical scenarios showed that people experience more envious hostility toward another individual when their inferior outcomes are unfairly (compared to fairly) determined, and that judgments of situational fairness mediated this relation. In Experiment 2, participants received bogus feedback about the superiority of another. Participants' reports of envious hostility were not significantly different across levels of fairness. However, perceptions of fairness correlated with envious reactions. Both experiments employed an external agent as the perpetrator of injustice. Anger toward this agent strongly predicted envious reactions. Taken together, the data suggest perceived fairness does play a role in envious hostility.

Series Number
Journal Issue
Is Version Of
Versions
Series
Academic or Administrative Unit
Type
thesis
Comments
Rights Statement
Copyright
Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 UTC 2011
Funding
Subject Categories
Supplemental Resources
Source