Impact of Responsibility for a Misfortune on Schadenfreude and Sympathy: Further Evidence

• Published in: The Journal of social psychology Vol. 148; no. 5; pp. 631 - 636
• Main Authors: van Dijk, Wilco W., Goslinga, Sjoerd, Ouwerkerk, Jaap W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Heldref 01-10-2008; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; deservingness; emotion; Emotional Response; Emotions; Empathy; Evidence; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; High Achievement; Humans; Hypotheses; Independent sample; Individual behaviour; Internal-External Control; Interpersonal relations; Interpersonal Relationship; Likert Scales; Male; Multivariate Analysis; Netherlands; Positive Attitudes; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Research methodology; Resistance (Psychology); Responsibility; schadenfreude; Social Behavior; Social Desirability; Social interactions. Communication. Group processes; Social Perception; Social psychology; Social Support; Statistical Analysis; Studies; Sympathy; Netherlands; Belief; Human; Affect affectivity; deservingness; emotion; Social interaction; Attitude; Emotion emotionality; Responsibility; sympathy; Interpersonal relation; schadenfreude
• ISSN: 0022-4545; 1940-1183
• DOI: 10.3200/SOCP.148.5.631-636

The authors tested the hypothesis that the more individuals are responsible for their own misfortune, the more schadenfreude (i.e., pleasure derived from another's misfortune) and less sympathy the misfortune evokes in others. The results support the hypothesis, thereby providing further evidence for the role responsibility plays in emotional reactions to the misfortunes of others.