Graduation Year
2020
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree
Ph.D.
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Degree Granting Department
Psychology
Major Professor
Paul E. Spector, Ph.D.
Co-Major Professor
Michael T. Brannick, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Walter C. Borman, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Jennifer K. Bosson, Ph.D.
Committee Member
Logan M. Steele, Ph.D.
Keywords
emotions, envy, freudenschade, justice, underperformance
Abstract
Two emotions that employees often experience in the workplace are schadenfreude (a positive reaction to others’ misfortune) and freudenschade (a negative reaction to others’ good fortune). Results of an ANOVA indicate that participants asked to imagine that they are employees were more likely to experience schadenfreude toward a hypothetical coworker if that coworker were arrogant, underperforming, rude, or deceptive. They were more likely to experience freudenschade toward a target when there was an issue involving justice. Results of an ANCOVA illustrated a negative relationship between the experience of schadenfreude and the personality variable Just-World Beliefs, but no association was found between schadenfreude and Equity Sensitivity or between freudenschade and Just-World Beliefs or Equity Sensitivity. Those reporting higher schadenfreude were more likely to enjoy their job and want to continue working there, as indicated by the results of a pooled within-group correlation controlling for condition. Those reporting higher schadenfreude were also more likely to believe that the target’s success at the job could impede their own success and that the target’s failure could be of benefit to the participant. Those higher in freudenschade were less likely to enjoy their job and want to continue working there. They were also more likely to believe that the target’s success or failure could personally affect their own success or failure at the organization. In this study, schadenfreude and freudenschade were shown to be emotions that should be given consideration in the workplace.
Scholar Commons Citation
Johnson, Kim, "If at First You Don’t Succeed...Your Coworkers Just Might Be Pleased: A Story of Workplace Schadenfreude" (2020). USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/etd/8453
