Effects of victim justice sensitivity on envy: The role of upward social comparison and perceived control

Abstract

Victim justice sensitivity might be positively associated with envy; however, there is little understanding of the mechanism of this relationship. For the first time, we explored the effect of victim justice sensitivity on envy, and whether this effect is mediated by upward social comparison and moderated by perceived control. A sample of 1570 Chinese undergraduates was collected. The results revealed that victim justice sensitivity was positively associated with envy. Additionally, upward social comparison partially mediated the relationship between victim justice sensitivity and envy, and this mediating effect was further moderated by perceived control. A more positive correlation was found between upward social comparison and envy in individuals with lower levels of perceived control. This finding not only clarities the underlying mechanism but also suggests a potential way of alleviating envy.