Abstract
Keywords: Envy, Counterfactual thinking, Appraisal, Social comparison
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 954-971 |
Journal | Cognition and Emotion |
Volume | 29 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |
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On the counterfactual nature of envy : "It could have been me". / van de Ven, N.; Zeelenberg, M.
In: Cognition and Emotion, Vol. 29, No. 6, 2015, p. 954-971.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - On the counterfactual nature of envy
T2 - "It could have been me"
AU - van de Ven, N.
AU - Zeelenberg, M.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - We examined whether counterfactual thinking influences the experience of envy. Counterfactual thinking refers to comparing the situation as it is to what it could have been, and these thought processes have been shown to lead to a variety of emotions. We predicted that for envy the counterfactual thought “it could have been me” would be important. In four studies we found a clear link between such counterfactual thoughts and the intensity of envy. Furthermore, Studies 3 and 4 revealed that a manipulation known to affect the extent of counterfactual thinking (the perception of being close to obtaining the desired outcome oneself), had an effect on the intensity of envy via counterfactual thoughts. This relationship between counterfactual thinking and the experience of envy allows for new predictions concerning situations under which envy is likely be more intense.Keywords: Envy, Counterfactual thinking, Appraisal, Social comparison
AB - We examined whether counterfactual thinking influences the experience of envy. Counterfactual thinking refers to comparing the situation as it is to what it could have been, and these thought processes have been shown to lead to a variety of emotions. We predicted that for envy the counterfactual thought “it could have been me” would be important. In four studies we found a clear link between such counterfactual thoughts and the intensity of envy. Furthermore, Studies 3 and 4 revealed that a manipulation known to affect the extent of counterfactual thinking (the perception of being close to obtaining the desired outcome oneself), had an effect on the intensity of envy via counterfactual thoughts. This relationship between counterfactual thinking and the experience of envy allows for new predictions concerning situations under which envy is likely be more intense.Keywords: Envy, Counterfactual thinking, Appraisal, Social comparison
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10411/20417
U2 - 10.1080/02699931.2014.957657
DO - 10.1080/02699931.2014.957657
M3 - Article
VL - 29
SP - 954
EP - 971
JO - Cognition and Emotion
JF - Cognition and Emotion
SN - 0269-9931
IS - 6
ER -