The Paradoxical Consequences of Revenge

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Forthcoming

9 Pages Posted: 3 Oct 2008

See all articles by Kevin M. Carlsmith

Kevin M. Carlsmith

Colgate University - Psychology Department

Timothy Wilson

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Daniel Gilbert

University of Virginia - Darden School of Business

Date Written: September 29, 2008

Abstract

People expect to reap hedonic rewards when they punish an offender, but in at least some instances, revenge has hedonic consequences that are precisely opposite to those that people expect. Three studies showed that: (a) one reason for this is that people who punish continue to ruminate about the offender, whereas those who do not punish "move on" and think less about the offender, and; (b) people fail to appreciate the different affective consequences of witnessing and instigating punishment.

Keywords: punishment, revenge, affect, rumination

Suggested Citation

Carlsmith, Kevin M. and Wilson, Timothy and Gilbert, Daniel, The Paradoxical Consequences of Revenge (September 29, 2008). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Forthcoming, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1277905

Kevin M. Carlsmith (Contact Author)

Colgate University - Psychology Department ( email )

13 Oak Drive
Hamilton, NY 13346
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.colgate.edu/DesktopDefault1.aspx?tabid=684&pgID=3400&vID=3&dID=0&fID=4213

Timothy Wilson

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Daniel Gilbert

University of Virginia - Darden School of Business

P.O. Box 6550
Charlottesville, VA 22906-6550
United States

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