1. //
  2. Start
  3. //
  4. Publications
  5. Emotional Dynamics of Social Comparisons
  6. Output formats
  7. //

Emotional Dynamics of Social Comparisons: Nonlinear Relationships Between Comparison Extremity and Social Emotions, and Their Motivational Functioning

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Standard

Emotional Dynamics of Social Comparisons: Nonlinear Relationships Between Comparison Extremity and Social Emotions, and Their Motivational Functioning. / Diel, Kathi; Boecker, Lea; Lange, Jens et al.
In: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2025.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Diel, K, Boecker, L, Lange, J, Hofmann, W & Crusius, J 2025, 'Emotional Dynamics of Social Comparisons: Nonlinear Relationships Between Comparison Extremity and Social Emotions, and Their Motivational Functioning', Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672251333249

APA

Diel, K., Boecker, L., Lange, J., Hofmann, W., & Crusius, J. (in press). Emotional Dynamics of Social Comparisons: Nonlinear Relationships Between Comparison Extremity and Social Emotions, and Their Motivational Functioning. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672251333249

Vancouver

Diel K, Boecker L, Lange J, Hofmann W, Crusius J. Emotional Dynamics of Social Comparisons: Nonlinear Relationships Between Comparison Extremity and Social Emotions, and Their Motivational Functioning. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 2025. doi: 10.1177/01461672251333249

Bibtex

@article{35067793350f44959b455912be085533,
title = "Emotional Dynamics of Social Comparisons: Nonlinear Relationships Between Comparison Extremity and Social Emotions, and Their Motivational Functioning",
abstract = "In an experience-sampling study, we examined how emotions stemming from social comparisons influence daily motivation. Analyzing 2,976 daily real-world social comparisons, we examined the interplay of comparison direction (upward vs. downward) and extremity (from moderate to extreme), two pleasant emotions (schadenfreude and happy-for-ness), two unpleasant emotions (benign envy, malicious envy), three motivational tendencies (pushing, coasting, and disengagement), and effort intentions. The relationships between comparison extremity and emotions were characterized by nonlinearity: Benign envy and happy-for-ness peaked with moderate upward comparisons, whereas malicious envy and schadenfreude increased especially with extreme upward and downward comparisons. Concerning motivational functioning, results suggest that benign envy and happy-for-ness promote motivation (i.e., associated with pushing and effort), whereas malicious envy and schadenfreude do not (i.e., linked to disengagement and coasting), with effects contingent on comparison extremity. This work emphasizes how distinct social emotions emerge as a function of social comparison extremity and their dynamic role in everyday motivation.",
keywords = "benign envy, malicious envy, motivation, schadenfreude, social comparison, social emotions, Psychology",
author = "Kathi Diel and Lea Boecker and Jens Lange and Wilhelm Hofmann and Jan Crusius",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.",
year = "2025",
doi = "10.1177/01461672251333249",
language = "English",
journal = "Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin",
issn = "0146-1672",
publisher = "SAGE Publications Inc.",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Emotional Dynamics of Social Comparisons

T2 - Nonlinear Relationships Between Comparison Extremity and Social Emotions, and Their Motivational Functioning

AU - Diel, Kathi

AU - Boecker, Lea

AU - Lange, Jens

AU - Hofmann, Wilhelm

AU - Crusius, Jan

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2025 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - In an experience-sampling study, we examined how emotions stemming from social comparisons influence daily motivation. Analyzing 2,976 daily real-world social comparisons, we examined the interplay of comparison direction (upward vs. downward) and extremity (from moderate to extreme), two pleasant emotions (schadenfreude and happy-for-ness), two unpleasant emotions (benign envy, malicious envy), three motivational tendencies (pushing, coasting, and disengagement), and effort intentions. The relationships between comparison extremity and emotions were characterized by nonlinearity: Benign envy and happy-for-ness peaked with moderate upward comparisons, whereas malicious envy and schadenfreude increased especially with extreme upward and downward comparisons. Concerning motivational functioning, results suggest that benign envy and happy-for-ness promote motivation (i.e., associated with pushing and effort), whereas malicious envy and schadenfreude do not (i.e., linked to disengagement and coasting), with effects contingent on comparison extremity. This work emphasizes how distinct social emotions emerge as a function of social comparison extremity and their dynamic role in everyday motivation.

AB - In an experience-sampling study, we examined how emotions stemming from social comparisons influence daily motivation. Analyzing 2,976 daily real-world social comparisons, we examined the interplay of comparison direction (upward vs. downward) and extremity (from moderate to extreme), two pleasant emotions (schadenfreude and happy-for-ness), two unpleasant emotions (benign envy, malicious envy), three motivational tendencies (pushing, coasting, and disengagement), and effort intentions. The relationships between comparison extremity and emotions were characterized by nonlinearity: Benign envy and happy-for-ness peaked with moderate upward comparisons, whereas malicious envy and schadenfreude increased especially with extreme upward and downward comparisons. Concerning motivational functioning, results suggest that benign envy and happy-for-ness promote motivation (i.e., associated with pushing and effort), whereas malicious envy and schadenfreude do not (i.e., linked to disengagement and coasting), with effects contingent on comparison extremity. This work emphasizes how distinct social emotions emerge as a function of social comparison extremity and their dynamic role in everyday motivation.

KW - benign envy

KW - malicious envy

KW - motivation

KW - schadenfreude

KW - social comparison

KW - social emotions

KW - Psychology

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105004577999&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/01461672251333249

DO - 10.1177/01461672251333249

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 40296641

AN - SCOPUS:105004577999

JO - Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

JF - Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

SN - 0146-1672

ER -

Related by journal

Did Descriptive and Prescriptive Norms About Gender Equality at Home Change During the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Cross-National Investigation

Saxler, F. M., Dorrough, A. R., Froehlich, L., Block, K., Croft, A., Meeussen, L., Olsson, M., Schmader, T., Schuster, C., van Grootel, S., Van Laar, C., Atkinson, C., Benson-Greenwald, T., Birneanu, A., Cavojova, V., Cheryan, S., Lee Kai Chung, A., Danyliuk, I., Dar-Nimrod, I., de Lemus, S., Diekman, A., Eisner, L., Estevan-Reina, L., Fedáková, D., Gavreliuc, A., Gavreliuc, D., Germano, A., Hässler, T., Henningsen, L., Ishii, K., Kundtová Klocová, E., Kozytska, I., Kulich, C., Lapytskaia Aidy, C., López López, W., Morandini, J., Ramis, T. S., Scheifele, C., Steele, J., Steffens, M. C., Velásquez Díaz, L. M., Venegas, M. & Martiny, S. E., 09.2025, In: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 51, 9, p. 1745-1759 15 p.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Prepare to Compare: Effects of an Intervention Involving Upward and Downward Social Comparisons on Goal Pursuit in Daily Life

Diel, K., Hofmann, W., Grelle, S., Boecker, L. & Friese, M., 30.01.2024, (E-pub ahead of print) In: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 15 p.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

It Is Belief in Dualism, and Not Free Will, That Best Predicts Helping: A Conceptual Replication and Extension of Baumeister et al. (2009)

Genschow, O., 04.2024, In: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 50, 4, p. 645-656 12 p.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Mental Contrasting and Goal Commitment: The Mediating Role of energization

Oettingen, G., Mayer, D., Sevincer, T., Stephens, E. J., Pak, H.-J. & Hagenah, M., 05.2009, In: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 35, 5, p. 608-622 15 p.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Taking Responsibility for Others and Use of Mental Contrasting

Sevincer, A. T., Musik, T., Degener, A., Greinert, A. & Oettingen, G., 01.08.2020, In: Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. 46, 8, p. 1219-1233 15 p.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Other publications by the same author(s)

Concession patterns in dyadic negotiations: Empirically contrasting sunk cost, loss aversion, and rationality predictions

Escher, Y. A., Petrowsky, H. M., Boecker, L., Stöckli, P. L. & Loschelder, D. D., 22.08.2025, In: Negotiation and Conflict Management Research. 18, 3, p. 165–203 39 p.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

How the timing of texting triggers romantic interest after the first date: A curvilinear U-shaped effect and its underlying mechanisms

Teichmann, L., Petrowsky, H., Boecker, L., Neumann, M. & Loschelder, D. D., 2025, In: Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

The power and peril of first offers in negotiations: A conceptual, meta-analytic, and experimental synthesis

Petrowsky, H. M., Boecker, L., Escher, Y. A., Frech, M. L., Friese, M., Galinsky, A. D., Gunia, B., Lee, A. J., Schaerer, M., Schweinsberg, M., Soliman, M., Swaab, R., Troll, E. S., Weber, M. & Loschelder, D. D., 11.2025, In: Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. 191, 30 p., 104448.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

Addressing climate change with behavioral science: A global intervention tournament in 63 countries

Vlasceanu, M., Doell, K. C., Bak-Coleman, J. B., Todorova, B., Berkebile-Weinberg, M. M., Grayson, S. J., Patel, Y., Goldwert, D., Pei, Y., Chakroff, A., Pronizius, E., Broek, K. L. V. D., Vlasceanu, D., Constantino, S., Morais, M. J., Schumann, P., Rathje, S., Fang, K., Aglioti, S. M., Alfano, M., Alvarado-Yepez, A. J., Andersen, A., Anseel, F., Apps, M. A. J., Asadli, C., Awuor, F. J., Azevedo, F., Basaglia, P., Bélanger, J. J., Berger, S., Bertin, P., Białek, M., Bialobrzeska, O., Blaya-Burgo, M., Bleize, D. N. M., Bø, S., Boecker, L., Boggio, P. S., Borau, S., Bos, B., Bouguettaya, A., Brauer, M., Brick, C., Brik, T., Briker, R., Brosch, T., Buchel, O., Buonauro, D., Butalia, R., Carvacho, H., Chamberlain, S. A. E., Chan, H.-Y., Chow, D., Chung, D., Cian, L., Cohen-Eick, N., Contreras-Huerta, L. S., Contu, D., Cristea, V., Cutler, J., D'Ottone, S., Keersmaecker, J. D., Delcourt, S., Delouvée, S., Diel, K., Douglas, B. D., Drupp, M. A., Dubey, S., Ekmanis, J., Elbaek, C. T., Elsherif, M., Engelhard, I. M., Escher, Y. A., Etienne, T. W., Farage, L., Farias, A. R., Feuerriegel, S., Findor, A., Freira, L., Friese, M., Gains, N. P., Gallyamova, A., Geiger, S. J., Genschow, O., Gjoneska, B., Gkinopoulos, T., Goldberg, B., Goldenberg, A., Gradidge, S., Grassini, S., Gray, K., Grelle, S., Griffin, S. M., Grigoryan, L., Grigoryan, A., Grigoryev, D., Gruber, J., Guilaran, J., Hadar, B., Hahnel, U. J. J., Halperin, E., Harvey, A. J., Haugestad, C. A. P., Herman, A. M., Hershfield, H. E., Himichi, T., Hine, D. W., Hofmann, W., Howe, L., Huaman-Chulluncuy, E. T., Huang, G., Ishii, T., Ito, A., Jia, F., Jost, J. T., Jovanović, V., Jurgiel, D., Kácha, O., Kankaanpää, R., Kantorowicz, J., Kantorowicz-Reznichenko, E., Mintz, K. K., Kaya, I., Kaya, O., Khachatryan, N., Klas, A., Klein, C., Klöckner, C. A., Koppel, L., Kosachenko, A. I., Kothe, E. J., Krebs, R., Krosch, A. R., Krouwel, A. P. M., Kyrychenko, Y., Lagomarsino, M., Lamm, C., Lange, F., Cunningham, J. L., Lees, J., Leung, T. Y., Levy, N., Lockwood, P. L., Longoni, C., Ortega, A. L., Loschelder, D. D., Lu, J. G., Luo, Y., Luomba, J., Lutz, A. E., Majer, J. M., Markowitz, E., Marsh, A. A., Mascarenhas, K. L., Mbilingi, B., Mbungu, W., McHugh, C., Meijers, M. H. C., Mercier, H., Mhagama, F. L., Michalakis, K., Mikus, N., Milliron, S., Mitkidis, P., Monge-Rodríguez, F. S., Mora, Y. L., Moreau, D., Motoki, K., Moyano, M., Mus, M., Navajas, J., Nguyen, T. L., Nguyen, D. M., Nguyen, T., Niemi, L., Nijssen, S. R. R., Nilsonne, G., Nitschke, J. P., Nockur, L., Okura, R., Öner, S., Özdoğru, A. A., Palumbo, H., Panagopoulos, C., Panasiti, M. S., Pärnamets, P., Paruzel-Czachura, M., Pavlov, Y. G., Payán-Gómez, C., Pearson, A. R., Costa, L. P. D., Petrowsky, H. M., Pfattheicher, S., Pham, N. T., Ponizovskiy, V., Pretus, C., Rêgo, G. G., Reimann, R., Rhoads, S. A., Riano-Moreno, J., Richter, I., Röer, J. P., Rosa-Sullivan, J., Ross, R. M., Sabherwal, A., Saito, T., Sarrasin, O., Say, N., Schmid, K., Schmitt, M. T., Schoenegger, P., Scholz, C., Schug, M. G., Schulreich, S., Shreedhar, G., Shuman, E., Sivan, S., Sjåstad, H., Soliman, M., Soud, K., Spampatti, T., Sparkman, G., Spasovski, O., Stanley, S. K., Stern, J. A., Strahm, N., Suko, Y., Sul, S., Syropoulos, S., Taylor, N. C., Tedaldi, E., Tinghög, G., Huynh, L. D. T., Travaglino, G. A., Tsakiris, M., Tüter, İ., Tyrala, M., Uluğ, Ö. M., Urbanek, A., Valko, D., Linden, S. V. D., Schie, K. V., Stekelenburg, A. V., Vanags, E., Västfjäll, D., Vesely, S., Vintr, J., Vranka, M., Wanguche, P. O., Willer, R., Wojcik, A. D., Xu, R., Yadav, A., Zawisza, M., Zhao, X., Zhao, J., Żuk, D. & Bavel, J. J. V., 09.02.2024, In: Science Advances. 10, 6, 19 p., eadj5778.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

How perfect is (too) perfect? Illuminating why the perfectionism-performance-relationship is (non-)linear

Nols, T., Kohlenberg, S. A., Klein, S. B., Boecker, L., Cross, A. E. & Loschelder, D. D., 01.10.2024, In: Personality and Individual Differences. 228, 9 p., 112725.

Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review

DOI

Recently viewed