32nd Annual Student Research Conference
The Potency of Envy
Lillian H. Brink* and Sarah K. Finley
Dr. David Gillette and Dr. Datha Damron-Martinez, Faculty Mentors
Scholars have long explored the role of envy in personal and social decision-making processes. Recent social movements such as Occupy Wall Street and the resurgence of redistributive policies supported by politicians such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders represent just a few contemporary examples of envy’s potential to play a powerful role in society. Envy functions both as a motivator and deterrent in a variety of disciplines including sociology, psychology, politics, economics, and business. While many studies indicate that envy plays a role in individual and societal behavior, its extent and even its exact definition remain ambiguous. Using exploratory and descriptive research methods, we studied college-aged students’ perceptions of envy to discern its influence on personal, social, and political values.
Keywords: economics, consumer behavior , envy, politics
Topic(s):Economics
Business Administration
Sociology
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 203-1
Location: BH 212
Time: 10:15