The Effect of Comparison Direction on Emotional Reactions to Other Persons' (Mis)Fortunes

In a series of 4 experiments (total N = 851) comparison direction (upward, downward, lateral) systematically affected emotional reactions to other person’s (mis)fortunes. Using a novel trial-by-trial lottery paradigm, upward comparisons increased the contrastive emotions schadenfreude and envy whereas downward comparisons increased the assimilative emotions sympathy and joy.