Thursday, October 5, 2017

Difference Between Envy and Jealousy


Article from a bit back in time from Psychology Today here.

This is an interesting observation (looks true...):


Envy occurs when we lack a desired attribute enjoyed by another. 
Jealousy occurs when something we already possess (usually a special relationship) is threatened by a third person. 
And so envy is a two-person situation whereas jealousy is a three-person situation. 
Envy is a reaction to lacking something. Jealousy is a reaction to the threat of losing something (usually someone). This seems straightforward, and so why the confusion? 
One problem is an unfortunate semantic ambiguity with the word “jealousy” (but NOT with the word “envy”). If you ask people to describe a situation in which they felt jealous, they are as likely to describe an experience of envy (e.g., "I wished I had my friend's good looks") as of jealousy (e.g., "my girlfriend danced with an attractive guy"). Naturally, this creates a sense that jealousy and envy are very similar—even though they are actually quite different.

You need (at least?) 3 for jealousy and only 2 for envy... iow you can't have jealousy with only 2...

There are more than 2 USD Zombie nations out there... hmmmm....


9 comments:

Tom Hickey said...

More nonsense from psychologists looking to get something published.

These words, like most words in ordinary language, do not have precise or technical definitions. They are therefore ambiguous. Meaning of similar words often overlap.

This author is giving words specific meanings that they may exhibit in special cases but not universally.

Another fail based on logical analysis.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/jealous-vs-envious

mike norman said...

LOL!!! Love this. LMAO!!

Matt Franko said...

Tom maybe it is codified terms in the academe of Psychology... they might define it this way consistently in that department...

Noah Way said...

The academe of Psychology bears a striking resemblance to the academe of Economics.

Kaivey said...

Do you know, Tom, when I first read this I thought the word envy can have a non negative or neutral connotation. You might say to your friends that you envy David Beckman but there is no malice or ill feelings there, you're just saying how lucky he is.

nockcode said...

Best SEO Company in Dubai
Best SEO Agency in Dubai

Usman Awais said...

Best Arabic sweets in Dubai
Arabic Sweets in Dubai

Awais.Endemaj said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Awais.Endemaj said...

Investment Companies in Dubai
Financial Companies in Dubai
Financial Company in Dubai