Schadenfreude in the Context of Opposing Vaccination Statuses

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-24-2023

Department 1

Psychology

Abstract

Schadenfreude (experiencing pleasure at others’ misfortune) has been found in a variety of contexts and setting. We sought to determine if it occurred in relation to COVID-19 vaccination status given the ingroup–outgroup nature of this factor. In three experimental studies, we asked participants to read about a pro- or anti-vaccine physician who reportedly died from COVID-19 complications. In Study 1 (N = 83 US emerging adults [39.8% male]) fully vaccinated participants experienced more Schadenfreude after reading the story about an unvaccinated (vs. vaccinated) physician. In Study 2 (N = 393 US adults [37.5% male]) we sampled vaccinated and unvaccinated participants who read about the death of a vaccinated or unvaccinated doctor, and results showed higher Schadenfreude when the participants’ vaccination status (e.g., vaccinated) was opposite of the hypothetical physician's (e.g., unvaccinated). Finally, results from Study 3 (N = 797 US adults [49.5% male]), which used a similar procedure to the previous study, replicated Study 2 and also showed that group identification with and perceived morality of the physician mediated the relationship between vaccination status and Schadenfreude.

DOI

10.1002/ejsp.2998

Required Publisher's Statement

This article is available from the publisher's website.

This item is not available in The Cupola.

Share

COinS