Comments on: Revenge: The Psychology of Retribution http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/ Dr. John Grohol's daily update on all things in psychology and mental health. Since 1999. Sat, 26 May 2012 02:27:01 +0000 hourly 1 By: Yankee Doodle http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/comment-page-1/#comment-720310 Yankee Doodle Wed, 19 Oct 2011 07:04:18 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=4600#comment-720310 In the book 'Upside of Irrationality', Dan Ariely mentions how PET scans have demonstrated that humans actually feel pleasure when getting revenge. Also, according to an article in National Graphic: "A person who has been cheated is [left] in a bad situation—with bad feelings," said study co-author Ernst Fehr, director of the Institute for Empirical Research in Economics at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. 'The person would feel even worse if the cheater does not get her or his just punishment.' " http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/08/0827_040827_punishment.html In the book ‘Upside of Irrationality’, Dan Ariely mentions how PET scans have demonstrated that humans actually feel pleasure when getting revenge. Also, according to an article in National Graphic:
“A person who has been cheated is [left] in a bad situation—with bad feelings,” said study co-author Ernst Fehr, director of the Institute for Empirical Research in Economics at the University of Zurich in Switzerland. ‘The person would feel even worse if the cheater does not get her or his just punishment.’ ”
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/08/0827_040827_punishment.html

]]> By: Pietroschek http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/comment-page-1/#comment-686977 Pietroschek Thu, 23 Dec 2010 20:57:53 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=4600#comment-686977 Pseudo-Science is the sign of frauds. Assumptions are never scientific and the chosen examples... who selects them? Is all retribution as propaganda wats it? Does our legal system never fail? The mere fact that the nerd-author considers an end of relationship to be a focus for retribution, where it is for real self-pity, shows lack of both, sanity and competence. What, if even cops and law office start telling you that the only way out of hell is answering the criminals in kind? What if our system actually takes bribes while talking about how despicable and impossible bribes are? My questions are rhetorical, I do not believe such self-glorification of assumptions and common prejudices to be scientific at all. Sad, that university is a business and no reliable education center anymore. Pseudo-Science is the sign of frauds.

Assumptions are never scientific and the chosen examples… who selects them? Is all retribution as propaganda wats it? Does our legal system never fail?

The mere fact that the nerd-author considers an end of relationship to be a focus for retribution, where it is for real self-pity, shows lack of both, sanity and competence.

What, if even cops and law office start telling you that the only way out of hell is answering the criminals in kind? What if our system actually takes bribes while talking about how despicable and impossible bribes are?

My questions are rhetorical, I do not believe such self-glorification of assumptions and common prejudices to be scientific at all. Sad, that university is a business and no reliable education center anymore.

]]> By: Danielle Buffardi http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/comment-page-1/#comment-628354 Danielle Buffardi Wed, 10 Jun 2009 22:06:01 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=4600#comment-628354 I can see the point to the article, however, I've done my share of revenge tactics on ex boyfriends with I was younger. It always felt SO GOOD after. I've never had any remorse for the revenge I took on them. They deserved it. I can see the point to the article, however, I’ve done my share of revenge tactics on ex boyfriends with I was younger. It always felt SO GOOD after. I’ve never had any remorse for the revenge I took on them. They deserved it.

]]> By: RBrill http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/comment-page-1/#comment-628328 RBrill Wed, 10 Jun 2009 14:34:41 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=4600#comment-628328 Revenge is driven by the primitive brain's self-protective instincts. (If we don't disable, harm or kill the one who wounds us they may do us in.) Unfortunately, that irrational brain level acts impulsively and spontaneously. It may not distinguish between a physical and emotional wound. Moreover, we can learn healthy coping skills to "condition our brain" to deal with our own pain rather than punish others for what we are feeling. If we "cool off" rather than act on those initial primal impulses we shift our response by using the thinking/reasoning neocortex to avoid physical and emotional retaliation. The more we learn about how our brain instinctively responds to emotional pain, we can control those primal instincts. This is why coping skills education now focuses on healing our own pain vs. trying to punish others because I don't have the ability to get over it. Revenge is driven by the primitive brain’s self-protective instincts. (If we don’t disable, harm or kill the one who wounds us they may do us in.) Unfortunately, that irrational brain level acts impulsively and spontaneously. It may not distinguish between a physical and emotional wound. Moreover, we can learn healthy coping skills to “condition our brain” to deal with our own pain rather than punish others for what we are feeling. If we “cool off” rather than act on those initial primal impulses we shift our response by using the thinking/reasoning neocortex to avoid physical and emotional retaliation. The more we learn about how our brain instinctively responds to emotional pain, we can control those primal instincts. This is why coping skills education now focuses on healing our own pain vs. trying to punish others because I don’t have the ability to get over it.

]]> By: links for 2009-06-08 « Lasting Impression http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/comment-page-1/#comment-628275 links for 2009-06-08 « Lasting Impression Mon, 08 Jun 2009 19:11:44 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=4600#comment-628275 [...] Revenge: The Psychology of Retribution Researchers call revenge the psychology of retribution, and our feelings about revenge the “revenge paradox,” because when we take out revenge on another person, we often feel worse afterward when we thought we would feel better. (tags: revenge emotion psychology happiness fairness cheating anger justification altruism society evolution) [...] [...] Revenge: The Psychology of Retribution Researchers call revenge the psychology of retribution, and our feelings about revenge the “revenge paradox,” because when we take out revenge on another person, we often feel worse afterward when we thought we would feel better. (tags: revenge emotion psychology happiness fairness cheating anger justification altruism society evolution) [...]

]]> By: Cin http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/comment-page-1/#comment-628179 Cin Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:19:17 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=4600#comment-628179 The best revenge is moving on and showing the person you survive dispite his or her action. I never took a negative revenge action. Instead I became a better, nicer, happier and more succesfull person. Which made them think: " damn! Why did I ever let her go" ;-) In that way I can be thankfull for their actions without their actions I would never have come this far in life! The best revenge is moving on and showing the person you survive dispite his or her action. I never took a negative revenge action. Instead I became a better, nicer, happier and more succesfull person. Which made them think: ” damn! Why did I ever let her go” ;-) In that way I can be thankfull for their actions without their actions I would never have come this far in life!

]]> By: Gary Graye http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/comment-page-1/#comment-628174 Gary Graye Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:16:38 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=4600#comment-628174 Hi John, I read a quote: "Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die." I agree with Sonia; Getting on with your life is the best revenge. Forgiveness is also a great healer because you will be the one that benefits. Thank you Regards GaryGraye.com Hi John,
I read a quote:
“Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.”
I agree with Sonia; Getting on with your life is the best revenge.
Forgiveness is also a great healer because you will be the one that benefits.
Thank you
Regards
GaryGraye.com

]]> By: sycologist http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/comment-page-1/#comment-628166 sycologist Fri, 05 Jun 2009 03:46:31 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=4600#comment-628166 Depends on the character of the person: most people have feelings of remourse, but a sociopath doesn't and wouldn't care less about inflicting pain or harm. Depends on the character of the person: most people have feelings of remourse, but a sociopath doesn’t and wouldn’t care less about inflicting pain or harm.

]]> By: Sonia Neale http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/comment-page-1/#comment-628162 Sonia Neale Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:19:04 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=4600#comment-628162 Living well is the best revenge. Living well is the best revenge.

]]> By: Lambert http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/comment-page-1/#comment-628141 Lambert Thu, 04 Jun 2009 15:06:42 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=4600#comment-628141 Science today has changed, I hope you used the right way, because there are medications such as vicodin, oxycodone, Lortab, etc, are anxiolytic and although much help to soothe the pain, can be double-edged weapon to control pain, so indicate in findrxonline to be confident that this discovery is beneficial to all. Science today has changed, I hope you used the right way, because there are medications such as vicodin, oxycodone, Lortab, etc, are anxiolytic and although much help to soothe the pain, can be double-edged weapon to control pain, so indicate in findrxonline to be confident that this discovery is beneficial to all.

]]> By: edianes http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2009/06/04/revenge-the-psychology-of-retribution/comment-page-1/#comment-628135 edianes Thu, 04 Jun 2009 13:49:04 +0000 http://psychcentral.com/blog/?p=4600#comment-628135 Doesn't receiving an apology make someone more likely to forgive and less likely to have negative feelings about having been wronged? And couldn't revenge be an effort to gain this apology and its attendant benefits(ex., "They'll be sorry.")? I couldn't find anything that talks about whether the people in this study who sought revenge got any acknowledgement from the offender that (s)he'd done something wrong; if they didn't get that, then the study doesn't really have much to say about whether or not revenge that effectively secures an apology would make you feel better or worse. Doesn’t receiving an apology make someone more likely to forgive and less likely to have negative feelings about having been wronged? And couldn’t revenge be an effort to gain this apology and its attendant benefits(ex., “They’ll be sorry.”)? I couldn’t find anything that talks about whether the people in this study who sought revenge got any acknowledgement from the offender that (s)he’d done something wrong; if they didn’t get that, then the study doesn’t really have much to say about whether or not revenge that effectively secures an apology would make you feel better or worse.

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