TY - JOUR
T1 - On the counterfactual nature of envy
T2 - “It could have been me”
AU - van de Ven, Niels
AU - Zeelenberg, Marcel
PY - 2015/8/18
Y1 - 2015/8/18
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.
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.
KW - Appraisal
KW - Counterfactual thinking
KW - Envy
KW - Social comparison
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84932197440&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84932197440&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/02699931.2014.957657
DO - 10.1080/02699931.2014.957657
M3 - Article
C2 - 25222515
AN - SCOPUS:84932197440
SN - 0269-9931
VL - 29
SP - 954
EP - 971
JO - Cognition and Emotion
JF - Cognition and Emotion
IS - 6
ER -