Observing schadenfreude: Expressing pleasure at others' misfortune predicts avoidance

In two studies, we examined how individuals who express schadenfreude - that is joy at an other's suffering - are perceived by the observers. Study 1 (N = 90) showed that actors expressing schadenfreude elicit a more negative impression and more avoidance intentions than those who display a general negative behavior. Study 2 (N = 90) showed that such an effect did not depend upon participants' competition with the target of the observed schadenfreude. Together the findings showed that observing the public expression of schadenfreude has meaningful implications for social relations and interpersonal perception.