RETRACTED ARTICLE: Do the poor envy others more? The effects of scarcity mindset on envy

This study explored the relationship between scarcity mindset and envy and the possible mediating mechanisms. We induced participants’ scarcity mindset. Resource-scarce individuals experienced more envy and generated more malicious motivation and less benign motivation to improve themselves after upward social comparison as compared to their counterparts. The relationship between scarcity mindset and envy was mediated by sense of control. Improving resource-scarce participants’ sense of control significantly reduced their envy and malicious motivation and significantly enhanced their benign motivation. Resource-scarce individuals should be encouraged to improve themselves and bridge the poverty gap through their own efforts, instead of destroying others’ advantages. Overall, this study found that individuals with a scarcity mindset were more envious of others after upward social comparison, and this phenomenon was significantly improved by manipulating their sense of control.