Disappointment for others

Abstract

Two studies examined when and why people experience disappointment for others. Study 1 demonstrated that participants reported disappointment for another's outcome only when the outcome had strong personal implications. Study 2 demonstrated that self-image concerns rather than empathy or resource concerns mediated the experience of disappointment for others. Collectively, these findings suggest that people experience disappointment for others when those outcomes implicate the self-image.

Acknowledgements

This publication was partially supported by Grant No. T32-MH19728 from the National Institute of Mental Health. The contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Mental Health.

We would like to thank Patrick J. Carroll, Sr., as well as Ursula Hess and three anonymous reviewers for helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper.