Toward the development of a self-report envy scale

Due to the character of the original source materials and the nature of batch digitization, quality control issues may be present in this document. Please report any quality issues you encounter to digital@library.tamu.edu, referencing the URI of the item.Includes bibliographical references.Issued also on microfiche from Lange Micrographics.The purpose of this study was to begin the development of a self-report envy scale, and to investigate possible associations between envy and self-deception, impression management, antisocial behavior, and cynical attitudes. This study measured attitudes associated with envy. The study is unique in attempting to develop scale items from envy-related beliefs rather than affected by incorporating specific envy triggers, and by using items with low facevalidity. In a pilot study (N = 273), items referring to beliefs that (1) one's life would improve significantly if one were to have valuable characteristics, (2) a world without good fortune would be better than a world in which some have it while others do not, and (3) good fortune is unlikely in one's own life, explained significant variance in a face-valid self-report envy scale. These results were replicated in a second study (N = 165). The second study also found that envy was positively correlated with antisocial characteristics, cynical attitudes, selfdeception, and impression management