Unraveling the Psychology of Envy: A Look Inside the Green-Eyed Monster
- By Jens Schröder
- ~14 Min Read
Strife sparked by jealousy: its insidious expansion and soaring impact - Strife stirred by jealousy's grasp: its insidious nature and destructive impact explored.
Emotions govern our thoughts and actions, shaping our perspective and influencing our decisions. While we can manage our feelings to some extent, often opting for activities that trigger positive emotions, envy is a tricky beast that often slips through our grasp.
- Emotions
- Envy
Envy is an age-old emotion, woven into the fabric of human psychology with its roots deep in social comparison and feelings of inadequacy. Characterized by a longing for the traits, possessions, or status of another, envy is driven by a gnawing sense of personal lacking or inferiority [1]. This emotional cocktail can lead to emotional turbulence such as bitterness, anger, and sadness.
The Envious Mind
Envy arises when we feel we're falling behind compared to others, a phenomenon known as relative deprivation. This isn't about absolute scarcity but unfavorable social comparisons. For instance, spotting a colleague with a brand-new car might elicit feelings of envy, even though your own vehicle serves its purpose just fine [2].
At its core, envy is a blend of hurt, insecurity, loneliness, and bitterness, which are frequently masked as anger or resentment. This emotional maelstrom can lead to loneliness since envy isolates us from social connections and joy [3][4].
As depicted by St. Thomas Aquinas, envy unfolds in three stages: first, attempts to belittle the envied person; second, finding joy in their misfortune or sorrowing when they prosper; and finally, growing into outright hatred, fueled by an ache over their success [4].
Bertrand Russell considered envy one of the prime catalysts of unhappiness, compelling the envious not only to experience sorrow but to wish ill on others [4].
Envy's Effect on Thought and Action
Envy can subtly skew cognitive processes by focusing attention on what others have and what we lack. This overemphasis on comparison often distorts our self-worth and sense of achievement by painting an unfavorable picture of ourselves through social contrasts.
This negative focus can spawn bitterness, resentment, and a desire to sabotage or harm the envied individual, sometimes manifesting in attempts to tarnish their reputation or impede their success [4].
Envy can breed actions driven by competition or hostility instead of cooperation or empathy, potentially damaging relationships and social harmony. Furthermore, it may foster an enduring dissatisfaction with our own lives, obstructing contentment and happiness as we compare ourselves unfavorably regardless of our actual circumstances [2].
On a broader scale, envy is often viewed as a source of spiritual estrangement and sin, embodying covetousness and alienating us from positive community and benevolent attitudes [3][4].
In conclusion, envy is a potent emotional force that stems from social comparison and relative deprivation by focusing on others' advantages and our perceived shortcomings. This skewed perception fuels negative emotions such as resentment and hostility, which can lead to destructive behaviors and internal unhappiness, as well as social strife [3][4][5].
[1] Twenge, J.M. (2010). The Narcissism Epidemic: Living in the Age of Entitlement. Free Press.[2] Nickerson, R.S. (1999). Envy: Perspectives from social and comparative psychology. Psychological Bulletin, 125(1), 3–34.[3] Moore, S. (2012). Envy and Social Comparison in the Twenty-First Century. Routledge.[4] Russell, B. (1930). Analysis of Mind. The Longmans, Green, and Co.[5] Feather, N.T. (1994). Social Comparisons. Journal of Social Issues, 50(3), 307–320.
- The psychological study of emotions and mental health reveals that envy, an age-old emotion marked by social comparisons and feelings of inadequacy, can lead to destructive behaviors and internal unhappiness, as well as social strife.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness and mental health, understanding the psychology of envy is crucial as it can skew cognitive processes, distort self-worth, and breed actions driven by competition or hostility instead of cooperation or empathy, potentially damaging relationships and happiness.
