The Pleasure of Revenge Predicts Both Vengeful and Benevolent Motivations Toward the Provocateur.

Publisher: Wiley-Liss Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 7502265 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1098-2337 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 0096140X NLM ISO Abbreviation: Aggress Behav Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: <2005-> : Hoboken, N.J. : Wiley-Liss
Original Publication: New York, Liss.

Motivation* ; Pleasure*; Humans ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Affect ; Middle Aged ; Forgiveness

Three studies (N = 860) examined whether the pleasure of revenge predicts both vengeful and benevolent motivations toward the provocateur. Across all studies, self-reported positive affect was higher, whereas self-reported negative affect was lower after an instance of revenge. Furthermore, the revenge-related positive affect predicted greater subsequent vengeful and benevolent motivations toward the provocateur (but more consistently the former). These findings replicate and extend previous research on affect-improving qualities of revenge. They allow for a more nuanced understanding of the reinforcing nature of vengeful pleasure. Moreover, they suggest that the pleasure of revenge might be harnessed to promote forgiveness.
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This research was funded by Narodowe Centrum Nauki grant Preludium number 2019/33/N/HS6/02554 awarded to KDH.

Keywords: aggression; motivation; provocation; revenge; self‐regulation

Date Created: 20241112 Date Completed: 20241112 Latest Revision: 20241112

20241115

10.1002/ab.70009

39530243