TY - JOUR

T1 - Schadenfreude as social-functional dominance regulator

AU - Lange, Jens

AU - Boecker, Lea

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2018 American Psychological Association.

PY - 2019/4/1

Y1 - 2019/4/1

N2 - Schadenfreude follows from misfortunes happening to other individuals. It is therefore an essentially social emotion. However, previous research has mainly explored its intrapersonal functions. Complementing these findings, we propose a social-functional approach to schadenfreude. Seven studies (total N 2,362) support that (a) schadenfreude is a reaction to a misfortune befalling an initially dominancedisplaying individual and (b) the public expression of schadenfreude downregulates the dominance of the other person. Specifically, schadenfreude toward initially successful persons was intensified when they displayed dominance (i.e., hubristic pride or general dominance) instead of prestige (i.e., authentic pride or general prestige) or other displays (i.e., embarrassment) following their achievement (Studies 1 to 3). This effect was mediated via inferiors malicious envy (Study 4). The public expression of schadenfreude then reduced the perceived dominance of the initially successful person compared with private expressions of schadenfreude and awkward silence (Studies 5 and 6). This dominance reduction further had downstream consequences for the superior person (Study 7). The findings underline the social functioning of schadenfreude and provide avenues for research on schadenfreude at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and intergroup level.

AB - Schadenfreude follows from misfortunes happening to other individuals. It is therefore an essentially social emotion. However, previous research has mainly explored its intrapersonal functions. Complementing these findings, we propose a social-functional approach to schadenfreude. Seven studies (total N 2,362) support that (a) schadenfreude is a reaction to a misfortune befalling an initially dominancedisplaying individual and (b) the public expression of schadenfreude downregulates the dominance of the other person. Specifically, schadenfreude toward initially successful persons was intensified when they displayed dominance (i.e., hubristic pride or general dominance) instead of prestige (i.e., authentic pride or general prestige) or other displays (i.e., embarrassment) following their achievement (Studies 1 to 3). This effect was mediated via inferiors malicious envy (Study 4). The public expression of schadenfreude then reduced the perceived dominance of the initially successful person compared with private expressions of schadenfreude and awkward silence (Studies 5 and 6). This dominance reduction further had downstream consequences for the superior person (Study 7). The findings underline the social functioning of schadenfreude and provide avenues for research on schadenfreude at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and intergroup level.

KW - Psychology

KW - Dominance

KW - Envy

KW - Schadenfreude

KW - Social-function of emotions

KW - Status

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85046960818&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1037/emo0000454

DO - 10.1037/emo0000454

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 29771546

VL - 19

SP - 489

EP - 502

JO - Emotion

JF - Emotion

SN - 1528-3542

IS - 3

ER -