Harmed Trait Self-Control: Why Do People with a Higher Dispositional Malicious Envy Experience Lower Subjective Wellbeing? A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

The literature reveals that dispositional benign and malicious envy can influence subjective wellbeing. Nevertheless, no study has yet explored the mechanisms accounting for their relationships. Therefore, the present study is the first to examine the interrelationships between dispositional benign and malicious envy, trait self-control, demographics (i.e., sex and age) and subjective wellbeing. Four hundred six people (234 females and 172 males; M age=32.07, SD age=10.98, from 18 to 71 years old) took part voluntarily in the study and answered questions related to demographics, dispositional envy, trait self-control, and subjective wellbeing. The main results revealed that: (a) dispositional benign envy positively predicted subjective wellbeing; and (b) dispositional malicious envy negatively predicted subjective wellbeing and that decreased sense of trait self-control accounted for this relationship (full mediation). Finally, this study supports the views that trait self-control represents a personality trait that can play a central role in the development of wellbeing, and that trait self-control could help advance our understanding of the complex phenomenon of envy.