"I Swear I'm Happy for You": The Link between Malicious and Benign Envy and Prosocial Behavior
Location
SU-214
Start Date
1-5-2026 10:30 AM
Department
Psychology
Abstract
While prosocial behavior (i.e., helping others) is largely thought to be motivated by empathy, some research highlights the possibility of more selfish motivations, which can occur as competitive altruism or defensive helping. Similarly, envy is often understood as a malicious emotion, but a small body of research suggests that a more positive, “benign envy” also exists. No prior research has investigated how these types of envy (benign vs malicious) may associate with or influence motivations behind prosocial behavior. This study investigates whether an association between the different types of envy and prosocial behavior exists. Participants (N = 23) completed an online Qualtrics study assessing their levels of benign envy, malicious envy, and prosocial behavior. Participants were then presented with a vignette depicting a social situation where they decided whether to help the person in the scenario. They were then asked to report their motivation for helping. Data collection is ongoing. Preliminary results suggest that benign envy positively predicts prosocial behavior, while malicious envy negatively predicts prosociality. Additionally, selfish motivations for helping others may be more common than previously anticipated, and the likelihood of engaging in prosocial behavior appears to be moderated by the target gender and age. Final results of this study will advance the currently sparse research on the multiple types of envy and will refine the existing literature on prosocial behavior by acknowledging that motivations behind altruism may be rooted in self-interest.
Faculty Sponsor
Amanda Dykema-Engblade
"I Swear I'm Happy for You": The Link between Malicious and Benign Envy and Prosocial Behavior
SU-214
While prosocial behavior (i.e., helping others) is largely thought to be motivated by empathy, some research highlights the possibility of more selfish motivations, which can occur as competitive altruism or defensive helping. Similarly, envy is often understood as a malicious emotion, but a small body of research suggests that a more positive, “benign envy” also exists. No prior research has investigated how these types of envy (benign vs malicious) may associate with or influence motivations behind prosocial behavior. This study investigates whether an association between the different types of envy and prosocial behavior exists. Participants (N = 23) completed an online Qualtrics study assessing their levels of benign envy, malicious envy, and prosocial behavior. Participants were then presented with a vignette depicting a social situation where they decided whether to help the person in the scenario. They were then asked to report their motivation for helping. Data collection is ongoing. Preliminary results suggest that benign envy positively predicts prosocial behavior, while malicious envy negatively predicts prosociality. Additionally, selfish motivations for helping others may be more common than previously anticipated, and the likelihood of engaging in prosocial behavior appears to be moderated by the target gender and age. Final results of this study will advance the currently sparse research on the multiple types of envy and will refine the existing literature on prosocial behavior by acknowledging that motivations behind altruism may be rooted in self-interest.