The Effect Of Social Identity On Schadenfreude In The Intergroup Perspective

Schadenfreude refers to a feeling of enjoyment that comes from seeing or hearing about the troubles of other people. A number of researchers have found that schadenfreude mainly resulting from deserved misfortunes, superior others, or low self-esteem on the interpersonal lever. But the research about the schadenfreude at the intergroup level is really rarely. The present study aimed to explore the effect of social identity on schadenfreude, and the role of self-enhancement motive underlying the phenomenon. Study 1 showed that schadenfreude regarding looses of superior out-group member was affected by the level of server social identity. The more people identified with the server group, the more they felt pleasure when officer suffered. Study 2 replicated these effects among the equal status groups. The study found that the more the student identified himself as a Shanghai people, the more they felt pleasure when seeing the people come from other cities suffered. And the motive of self-enhancement played a key role in the process. Study 3 explore whether people’s multiple group identities affect their social identity with one dimension of group, thereby increased or reduced their schadenfreude toward out-group. The result revealed that people with a low status more likely to identified themselves as Shanghai people. At the same time, they were likely to felt pleasure when the member of out-group suffered. The result showed that the social identity itself is enough to predict schadenfreude, regardless of the status of the out-group member. The more people identified with their social group, the more they will feel pleasure at others suffered of out-group. And the motive of self-enhancement played a key role in the process. When people cannot obtain positive evaluation from one dimension,such as status, they will seeking for it from other group dimension,such as more likely to identified themselves as Shanghai people. And then exhibit more schadenfreude toward out-group. In fact,if we can weaken the group label of the sufferers in the media, or help people to build up more positive self-evaluation, maybe the phenomenon of schadenfreude can be reduced in our social life.