Abstract
The purpose of this study was to begin the development of a self-report envy scale, and to investigate possible associations between envy and self-deception, impression management, antisocial behavior, and cynical attitudes. This study measured attitudes associated with envy. The study is unique in attempting to develop scale items from envy-related beliefs rather than affected by incorporating specific envy triggers, and by using items with low facevalidity. In a pilot study (N = 273), items referring to beliefs that (1) one's life would improve significantly if one were to have valuable characteristics, (2) a world without good fortune would be better than a world in which some have it while others do not, and (3) good fortune is unlikely in one's own life, explained significant variance in a face-valid self-report envy scale. These results were replicated in a second study (N = 165). The second study also found that envy was positively correlated with antisocial characteristics, cynical attitudes, selfdeception, and impression management.
Montaldi, Daniel F (1995). Toward the development of a self-report envy scale. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1995 -THESIS -M6643.