User:Emotionclass

Defining Envy:

“Envy is pain at the good fortune of others” (Aristotle).

Envy is more than a feeling, it is an emotion. Often times envy and jealousy are confused and used interchangeably, which is inappropriate. “Envy occurs when someone begrudges another individual for his or her possessions or attributes, or when an individual longs for the other’s possessions and attributes” (Yoshimura). Another definition of envy is “a person or a group of persons and some possession, capacity or trait that the subject supposes the rival to have” (Stanford Encyclopedia). Envy involves both an envier (subject) and the party who is being envied (rival) (Stanford Encyclopedia). While jealousy involves people, the target of envy is people’s possessions. For example, if your neighbor buys a brand new SUV you are going to lust over their new car and wish that you could buy a brand new SUV as well. The possessions involved in envy include not only material items, but other possessions in the form of psychological states, such as, utility, happiness, or superiority. One theory that helps to explain envy and its affects on human behavior is the Socioevolutionary theory. Based upon Darwin’s (1859) theory of evolution through natural selection, socioevolutionary theory predicts that humans behave in ways that enhance individual survival and also the reproduction of their genes (see Buss, 1986, 1995; Darwin, 1859, 1872; Kenrick & Trost, 1997). Thus, this theory provides a framework for understanding social behavior and experiences, such as the experience and expression of envy, as rooted in biological drives for survival and procreation. (Yoshimura).

Envy vs. Jealousy: The differences between envy and jealousy were briefly discussed in the previous category, and will be expanded on. Jealousy is an emotion felt toward people and relationships. Envy is a negative emotion felt due to self-comparison of possessions. In simpler terms, envy is the wish to get what one does not have. “Envy is often confused with jealousy, or the reaction of an individual who fears that his or her relationship, property, skills, etc., are being compromised or interfered with by an outside source (Salovey, 1991; Salovey & Rodin, 1986). Both jealousy and envy begin as intrapsychic phenomena; that is, individuals first feel these emotions and then choose whether, or how, to express them. Although jealousy originates from a positive attachment to another, envy stems from resentment and begrudging (Guerrero & Andersen, 1998). Therefore, the components underlying envy include feelings of inferiority, ill-will, and possible guilt or denial (Parrott & Smith, 1993). It is possible that envy is a stronger negative relational influence than jealousy, as it has fewer positive consequences to balance the negative. In an absolute sense, envy may lead to less positive feelings and communications in personal relationships than does jealousy” (Yoshimura).

Envy of Materials: Often times, the envy involves a motive to “outdo or undo the rival’s advantages” (Stanford Encyclopedia). This type of envy is based on materialistic possessions rather than psychological states. Basically, people find themselves experiencing an overwhelming emotion due to someone else owning or possessing desirable items that they do not. For example, your next door neighbor just bought a brand new Lexus SUV sport—the exact car you’ve been infatuated with for months now but can’t afford. Feelings of envy in this situation would occur in the forms of emotional pain, a lack of self-worth, and a lowered self-esteem/well-being.

Envy of Status: Another instance of envy is when a person is envious of another’s status. For instance, if one of your coworkers receives a promotion that you feel that you are deserving of as well you may feel envious of their status at work. This is also true among spouses. For example, if one spouse is the breadwinner of the couple the other member of the couple may feel envious of the other’s earnings. Overcoming Envy: In the case of envy, experiencing envy may negatively affect the closeness and satisfaction of relationships. We believe overcoming envy is similar to dealing with other negative emotions (anger, resentment, etc.). Individuals experiencing anger often seek professional treatment (anger management) to help understand why they feel the way they do and how to cope. Subjects experiencing envy often have a skewed perception on how to achieve true happiness. By helping people to change these perceptions, they will be more able to understand the real meaning of fortune and satisfaction with what they do have.