You may think scientists are above petty, vindictive behaviors (after all, many of us take pains to objectively study such retaliation). But trust me, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Psychological science, at least, is littered with interpersonal scandals that have absolutely nothing to do with data or theory.
That’s one of the reasons why the more conscientious peer-reviewed scientific journals implement a “double-blind” review procedure. To get an article accepted for publication, the manuscript must be vetted by other researchers in the area of study. In principle, this review keeps the caliber of research high, avoids the unnecessary duplication of studies and helps to ensure against fraudulent work. But imagine being asked to review the manuscript of a fellow researcher who last month insulted your theory in front of a large conference audience? Or one whose PhD advisor was your own beloved advisor’s nemesis? Or what if the manuscript of your ex-fiancé’s new husband landed on your desk? (I needn’t add in this last hypothetical scenario that it was quite the messy breakup.)
If you wouldn’t be biased in such cases—even unconsciously—then you must be made of wires and metal. Not so very long ago, a particular evolutionary biologist was so gratuitously rude to me that the thought of getting back at him, in some way, triggered orgasmic quivers of my dorsal striatum. I’ve since trivialized the incident and my retributive pleasure center has gone cold on the matter. But honestly, if I had been asked by some journal editor to review this person’s manuscript the next day, I wouldn’t have trusted myself to do it fairly and I would have had to decline the invitation.
So for scientists, the trick is evaluating the quality of other researchers’ work independent of the fact that these people often have the social tact of a hamadryas baboon—and sometimes even the rear end to match. Fortunately, with a double-blind review, the identity of the author is kept from the reviewer, and the author is not told who the reviewer was either. It’s an imperfect system (oftentimes you can get a sense of the author’s writing style or the fact that they keep referring to their own past research gives it away), but given human nature—even the nature of those who study human nature—it’s often a necessary one.
As a final note, I’m very curious to get your thoughts on this column. If you disagree with anything I’ve written so far or the way I’ve gone about it, please be sure to include your full name along with your home address and place of employment. Otherwise, feel free to praise relentlessly and anonymously.
In this new column presented by Scientific American Mind magazine, research psychologist Jesse Bering of Queen's University Belfast ponders some of the more obscure aspects of everyday human behavior. Ever wonder why yawning is contagious, why we point with our index fingers instead of our thumbs or whether being breastfed as an infant influences your sexual preferences as an adult? Get a closer look at the latest data as “Bering in Mind” tackles these and other quirky questions about human nature. Sign up for the RSS feed and never miss an installment again.
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33 Comments
Add CommentI was treated really badly by a doctor I was seeing recently. I was so mad that I imagined myself knocking all the furniture over and tearing up the paper on the table, and pushing all of the displays in the office over. Because since I cannot afford to replace these things, or bail myself out of jail for assault, I just gritted my teeth, and stormed out, then punched the heck out of my car. I wanted to file a complaint against him; I wanted to scream and kick... But I didn't, and I'm glad because it's more important to move on to something positive, and not have to pay (emotionally & financially) for a moment of angry, albeit justified impulsiveness.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNonetheless, I hope karma gives him a hefty kick in the pants for me.
very clever, witty and insightful. Thanks for the article and the scholarly amusement.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIs there a difference among fantasy retribution, physical retribution, a pity response, and no response? What are the subsequent short and long term effects? Is catharsis good for ones adjustment? People who let slights pass like water off a ducks back appear to be better adjusted.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWell done, this is a good example of " Anger Management 101 "
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWell done, this is classic " Anger Management 101 " something we should all abide by; what a wonderful world it would be ........
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat would be really interesting is to determine if there are any differences in effects between the relatively trivial social slights cited in the article, and true harm comitted against one or one's family.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisa worthwhile lesson for those among us that hold onto grudges, and then fantasize about inflicting revenge: the thought is pleasurable but the actual act simply lowers you to the same level as the Other. to punish them you sort of BECOME them. ok, a bit of pop psychology here from someone who barely passed abnormal psych many years ago ...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thissome culture take the attitude of if you are thinking about doing something violent it is the same as if you had done the thing you thought about doing. I would put it another way Romans 12:19 "do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for gods wrath, for it ius written : "it is mine to avenge;I will repay says the lord."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNIV
I have seen so many people get caught up in petty power struglles and games they play to get back get even or make things. Right we cannot. A another example of revenge the terrorist attacks or the Hitlers germany . People trying to make things right . When I say I am going to get even with some one I know who has done wrong I execute my judgement against Him/Her . I migth hurt innocents or esclate the situation. Thinking about making things right is nonproductive but many people are stuck in quiet anger fumming over the evils of others . Let god dela with ti . You will find the peole who do wrong or evil will work on the wrong person who has far more power and influence and thier luck will run out .
On the other hand, a Swiss brain imaging study published in the August 27, 2004 issue of Science "shows that punishing people when they behave unfairly activates the same reward circuitry of the brain that is fired up when sniffing cocaine or seeing a beautiful face":
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://sisu.typepad.com/sisu/2004/08/the_notion_that_1.html
"If you wouldn’t be biased in such cases—even unconsciously—then you must be made of wires and metal."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAnd even that wouldn't be a guarantee.
So the moral of the story is to screw other people over and depend on them not exacting revenge.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThat gives carte blanche to every jerk in the world. A wonderful scientific result.
Our overwhelming need for social or societal interaction (in all forms) has served as both carrot and stick by which we have been conditioned not to seek PERSONAL revenge.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPersonal revenge (and a possible spiral into counter-revenges) is destabilizing and disruptive to the 'organism' society and perpetrators have always been ostracized. This isolating behaviour by the group as punishment for vengeful squabbling has been observed in other primates too.
As the article rightly points out, individuals will extract revenge gladly if anonymity can be assured. Noticed how cruel children can be if they think they are unobserved?
There are also, as the article mentions, the vicarious pleasures of the passive observer - consider how popular public hangings were, and still are in various parts of the world.
Now the point I would like to make is that while the group may suppress the destabilizing actions of the individual revenge seeker it becomes a different matter entirely when the group itself seeks revenge...
I have no intention of beginning a political debate here, but it would be pertinent to consider the various attitudes to the revenge enacted by the USA (under the Bush administration) on much of the Middle East. Revenge for the cowardly and horrifying violence perpetrated by... a tiny (comparatively) group of people.
I recall television footage of ordinary citizens across the US frothing at the mouth and baying for blood - applauded by the wronged society.
Furthermore, it will be interesting to observe the future of revenge between groups, communities and nations as we truly enter into the age of the global village. Here consider the world's stern admonishment of Israel's recent violent foray, and how soon it's effect.
I end on a personal note: For myself, I utterly believe in revenge. When crossed, I will react with precision. Every time.
Only the self-deluded (is there a greater sin?) pathetically accept and bow down to cruelty by others, all the while taking comfort in the quaint notions of Karma or God. Cold comfort.
I must add that I believe it is utterly vital to one's sanity to extract APPROPRIATE revenge and then to LEAVE IT BE and MOVE ON.
Kindest regards,
Gabriel.
gabrielhbyrne@gmail.com
8 Glengariff Road,
Three Anchor Bay,
Cape Town,
South Africa.
Our overwhelming need for social or societal interaction (in all forms) has served as both carrot and stick by which we have been conditioned not to seek PERSONAL revenge.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPersonal revenge (and a possible spiral into counter-revenges) is destabilizing and disruptive to the 'organism' society and perpetrators have always been ostracized. This isolating behaviour by the group as punishment for vengeful squabbling has been observed in other primates too.
As the article rightly points out, individuals will extract revenge gladly if anonymity can be assured. Noticed how cruel children can be if they think they are unobserved?
There are also, as the article mentions, the vicarious pleasures of the passive observer - consider how popular public hangings were, and still are in various parts of the world.
Now the point I would like to make is that while the group may suppress the destabilizing actions of the individual revenge seeker it becomes a different matter entirely when the group itself seeks revenge...
I have no intention of beginning a political debate here, but it would be pertinent to consider the various attitudes to the revenge enacted by the USA (under the Bush administration) on much of the Middle East. Revenge for the cowardly and horrifying violence perpetrated by... a tiny (comparatively) group of people.
I recall television footage of ordinary citizens across the US frothing at the mouth and baying for blood - applauded by the wronged society.
Furthermore, it will be interesting to observe the future of revenge between groups, communities and nations as we truly enter into the age of the global village. Here consider the world's stern admonishment of Israel's recent violent foray, and how soon it's effect.
I end on a personal note: For myself, I utterly believe in revenge. When crossed, I will react with precision. Every time.
Only the self-deluded (is there a greater sin?) pathetically accept and bow down to cruelty by others, all the while taking comfort in the quaint notions of Karma or God. Cold comfort.
I must add that I believe it is utterly vital to one's sanity to extract APPROPRIATE revenge and then to LEAVE IT BE and MOVE ON.
Kindest regards,
Gabriel.
gabrielhbyrne@gmail.com
8 Glengariff Road,
Three Anchor Bay,
Cape Town,
South Africa.
Our overwhelming need for social or societal interaction (in all forms) has served as both carrot and stick by which we have been conditioned not to seek PERSONAL revenge.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPersonal revenge (and a possible spiral into counter-revenges) is destabilizing and disruptive to the 'organism' society and perpetrators have always been ostracized. This isolating behaviour by the group as punishment for vengeful squabbling has been observed in other primates too.
As the article rightly points out, individuals will extract revenge gladly if anonymity can be assured. Noticed how cruel children can be if they think they are unobserved?
There are also, as the article mentions, the vicarious pleasures of the passive observer - consider how popular public hangings were, and still are in various parts of the world.
Now the point I would like to make is that while the group may suppress the destabilizing actions of the individual revenge seeker it becomes a different matter entirely when the group itself seeks revenge...
I have no intention of beginning a political debate here, but it would be pertinent to consider the various attitudes to the revenge enacted by the USA (under the Bush administration) on much of the Middle East. Revenge for the cowardly and horrifying violence perpetrated by... a tiny (comparatively) group of people.
I recall television footage of ordinary citizens across the US frothing at the mouth and baying for blood - applauded by the wronged society.
Furthermore, it will be interesting to observe the future of revenge between groups, communities and nations as we truly enter into the age of the global village. Here consider the world's stern admonishment of Israel's recent violent foray, and how soon it's effect.
I end on a personal note: For myself, I utterly believe in revenge. When crossed, I will react with precision. Every time.
Only the self-deluded (is there a greater sin?) pathetically accept and bow down to cruelty by others, all the while taking comfort in the quaint notions of Karma or God. Cold comfort.
I must add that I believe it is utterly vital to one's sanity to extract APPROPRIATE revenge and then to LEAVE IT BE and MOVE ON.
Kindest regards,
Gabriel.
gabrielhbyrne@gmail.com
8 Glengariff Road,
Three Anchor Bay,
Cape Town,
South Africa.
I agree with JimC, this article, and likely the research it refers to, has as much scientific validity as a gossip column: little proper research and even less thought went into writing it.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI seldom seek revenge, but for another reason: That person has just blacklisted himself in my mind, he is no longer a favourite and it will take a long time and very good behaviour for him to redeem himself. I do not have to think about it anymore, my subconcious mind will take care of it automatically. Besides, people who have no respect for others only isolate themseves in this way.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs the ancient [Greek?] saying goes, [something like] 'those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make angry.'
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNo doubt the findings are true, but I believe they are also wrong--the study did not address aspects of justice and long-term effects.
Retaliation as revenge is well-known to be unfullfilling (at least to those with normal mental health, unlike sociapaths). However, if one knows that by inflicting the "revenge" that future victimization will be reduced it becomes clear that retaliation has very definate benefits that one can take solice, even pride, in achieving.
An extreme example is the rape victim or survivors of a murdered family member--if they testify at trial and can get the attacker incarcerated, they generally do feel a sense of justice and safety and do regain emotional equilibrium. Sure, they may have lost something, but their world regains a sense of order & fairness it lost with the transgression. Similarly, kids that retaliate at the bully that's harrassed them at school usually leads to their enhanced status & security (including their close friends) -- such factors undoubtedly outweigh the emotional trauma of doing whatever the deed was (assuming the bully is a true bully that only is inclined to attack a weaker person and not escalate their response to the retaliation).
"Revenge" under the right, socially approved, circumstances can be very rewarding. But in those circumstances that is usually referred to as "justice," which may be a bit more of a variation than this experiment intended? The distinction is unclear, but I believe significant.
On a related concept, what about if the experiment was repeated with those imposing the 'revenge' doing so again in a subsequent experiment involving different participants (especially the transgressor)? I bet they'd do just fine with minimal aftereffects--especially if they got some simple "counseling" after their first application of revenge.
To take another extreme example, in war killing is a hurdle most soldiers do not take easily, many will refuse (e.g. fire wide, etc. to miss). BUT, after breaching that threshhold, doing so again can become very easy (though doing so indiscriminately or in socially unacceptable areas they will still refuse). This specific [most extreme] issue, applicable to police, soldiers & that ilk is addressed at great length at: www.killology.com
Sissy:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBut is regular enforcement of social norms the same thing as enacting revenge? It's easy to see how the former would be adaptive, while the latter is but an unfortunate evolutionary by-product.
IOW, I don't think the two studies are necessarily mutually exclusive.
@sissy,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYou've just referenced the same 2004 study as the author of this article.
I assume you're simply reminding that 'revenge = pleasure,' but this article goes further in stating that the post-revenge effects are actually displeasing. And that's 2007/08 research.
Also, more importantly, I can't even find the article/source that you quote from.
Gabrielhbyrne
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisLook at the mess in South Aferica . You are saying the means justifies the ends. Who do know who croosed you are you prepared to accept inncent loss of lives. Lastly who gives you the right to dish out life and death or pass judgement on others. I have see hundereds of creatures eaten alive by petty hatred. Some times they see the fruits of labors achiveed only to become depressed espondent when they see others lives ruien by thier actions to get even.
You see? There IS some wisdom in the bible. Tells you the same thing.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI mostly agree with you, but would like to add the following:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf the revengeful deed could be carried out without any retribution, it would be most satisfying.
MS
If the vengeful deed could be carried out with the assurance that there would be no retribution, it would be most satisfying; because the fear of a backlash takes any edge off.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisMS
I love double blind procedures! Eliminating bias and other confounds that interfere with good judgments is always a good thing (hurray for making psychology a science). They're doing double blinds with orchestra auditions so now women who play wind instruments are actually getting accepted by the same people who laughed them off the stage a year prior. I wonder how this research applies to law enforcement...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis article made me think of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. In the 1990's, I thought that Israel's 1:10 retaliation against Palestinian attacks was, well, a bit unbalanced. Now the latest Gaza war had 1:100 casualties. And Palestinians know where Israelis live...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI was scammed by a Dentist in Florida for all of my insurance benefits for one year and $1250 on top of that. This guy told me that my wife needed several procedures that, later to find out were not necessary, at the time I trusted him as a professional. So I decided to get even. I went to 4 different Walgreens and ripped out the subscriber tickets of about 127 magazines. I picked magazines like Lowrider and Tattoo monthly and almost every magazine that had nothing to do with a Dentist's lifestyle. I signed him up and checked "bill me later". Now his receptionist will have to make 127 phone calls to discontinue his subscription's, he will also look like a dumb ass to the rest of his partners in the Dentist's Firm. The magazines I picked were pure Florida white trash editions. And if his receptionist decides to give up on calling every magazine, see ya later credit score, pay up sucka or we will refer you to a collection agency, and you know collection agencies can disrupt the work day, try telling a collection agency "I didn't order these sir, you are mistaken". Yeah right! Pay up sucka! I must say, it felt pretty good getting even with this scam artist of a dentist! And I assure you, I checked and double checked that my wife did not need the procedures that this dirt-bomb made me pay for. So, here is a simple way for the working man to get back at the oppressors. I still feel warm and fuzzy right now! I have to go to work now, I'm deployed chasing drug runners in the Carribean, and thats no bullshit, Semper Paratus friends!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI think it is better for your mental health to drop the judgement against someone who has insulted, or made you angry . The end result is that they are stuck with what they did and you don't have to clutter your mind with processing the hurt or angry feelings. If this sounds simple, i didn't say it is always easy.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSo true, so true. When you do something to "get even" or punish someone for something they did to hurt you, they do stay on your mind wasting your time and energy and thoughts longer than is healthy. Plus, when it is someone such as a very cruel spouse, you can never truly get even with them because they are not capable of having the same feelings as the one they have hurt, therefore they would never feel the same amount of pain either.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHow do you protect yourself from a toxic person that won't keep their distance? It's not easy...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI think revenge for someone who truly deserves it may be a good thing, just in case karma is on vacation. Just be creative with your revenge and don't exact it for a year or two so the person won't know where it's coming from. Chances are if they did you wrong, they did others wrong, so they won't be sure where it comes from.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisGetting even is tempting, in some cases, but I prefer getting ahead as my revenge of choice, spending no time thinking about things out of my control and spending all of my time thinking about things I can control.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI agree, getting even is unhealthy, taking too much time to think about something out of one's control. I prefer to spend energy on things I can control, thereby, getting me ahead. Win the race. Don't settle for a tie.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYour article is a true testament and cheery homage to all who are fortunate enough to live in the protective bubble of a tax paid academic gravy train . How sweet it must be to get paid for publishing anything that takes your fancy and allows for the sweet little role plays, word 'creativity' and verbal taffy pulls. Pick a word. Any word - which is better than picking none. What does 'revenge ' mean? Why, anything you & Lewis Carrol want it to mean.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFor the poor dodos who don't get it that easy, revenge takes on a different texture. For the victims of street crime, corporate thuggery, political assassination and a host of other goodies, revenge is not some game played in comfort of college lounges. It is actually tied in with real people doing real things and having ugly things done to them.
Your whingeing about some academic who may have got your nose out of joint about some imagined slight would be serious if it wasn't so plain silly.
Real people don't need to play with words. Their search however vain is for 'justice'. Look it up. Unfortunately, I was reading Scientific American when its content was a bargain.
Times change. Let us prey.