Introduction

The Fear of Envy Scale (FOES-21) is a self-report psychometric instrument designed to assess an individual’s fear of becoming the target of envy from others. The scale evaluates thoughts, emotions, and concerns associated with the perception that personal achievements, advantages, or positive circumstances may provoke envy and potentially negative social consequences.

The FOES-21 is used in psychological and social research to examine how fear of envy influences interpersonal relationships, self-presentation, emotional well-being, and individual behavior.

Description

The FOES-21 consists of 21 items exploring concerns related to being envied by others. The scale assesses:

  • Fear that personal success may generate negative reactions.
  • Concerns about displaying achievements or advantages.
  • Worry about social consequences of being envied.
  • Emotional responses associated with perceived envy from others.
  • Effects of envy-related concerns on social interactions and self-esteem.

Participants respond to statements indicating the degree to which they agree or disagree with each item using a Likert-type response scale.

Purpose

The FOES-21 is designed to:

  • Measure fear of becoming an object of envy.
  • Examine how envy-related concerns influence thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
  • Investigate the relationship between fear of envy and psychological well-being.
  • Explore the effects of perceived envy on social relationships and self-esteem.

Administration

The questionnaire is self-administered and can be completed in clinical, educational, occupational, and research settings. Participants evaluate their personal experiences and beliefs regarding possible envy from others.

The instrument is suitable for studies examining personality characteristics, interpersonal processes, social comparison, and emotional functioning.

Scoring

Items are scored using a 5-point Likert scale, typically ranging from:

1 = Strongly Disagree
to
5 = Strongly Agree

The total score is calculated by summing responses across all 21 items. Higher scores indicate a greater fear of envy and stronger concerns about becoming the focus of others’ envy.

Interpretation

Higher FOES-21 scores suggest that individuals are more likely to experience concern about how others respond to their success, privileges, or positive characteristics. This fear may influence self-expression, social comparison processes, interpersonal openness, and self-esteem.

Lower scores indicate reduced concern about provoking envy and greater comfort with personal achievements and social recognition.

Statistical Analysis

Psychometric evaluation of the FOES-21 commonly includes:

  • Descriptive statistics.
  • Internal consistency analysis (Cronbach’s alpha).
  • Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (EFA/CFA).
  • Item-total correlations.
  • Test–retest reliability.
  • Convergent and discriminant validity.
  • Correlation and regression analyses.
  • Group comparisons (t-test, ANOVA, MANOVA).

The scale’s reliability and validity are evaluated through statistical methods examining whether it accurately measures fear of envy and its psychological correlates.

Applications

The FOES-21 is widely used in:

  • Social psychology.
  • Personality research.
  • Interpersonal relationship studies.
  • Health psychology.
  • Organizational psychology.
  • Research on self-esteem and social comparison.
  • Studies of emotional well-being.

Advantages

  • Specifically assesses fear of being envied by others.
  • Examines the social and emotional consequences of envy perception.
  • Brief and easy to administer.
  • Useful for studying interpersonal and psychological processes.
  • Applicable in diverse research settings.

Limitations

As a self-report measure, responses may be influenced by social desirability, cultural beliefs about success and status, and individual differences in self-awareness. The FOES-21 assesses perceived fear of envy rather than actual experiences of others’ envy and should be interpreted alongside complementary measures of personality, social functioning, and psychological well-being.

References

Smith, R. H., Parrott, W. G., Diener, E. F., Hoyle, R. H., & Kim, S. H. (1999). Measuring Envy: Validation of the Dispositional Envy Scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 26(5), 901–909.

van de Ven, N., Zeelenberg, M., & Pieters, R. (2009). Leveling Up and Down: The Experiences of Benign and Malicious Envy. Emotion, 9(3), 419–429.

Smith, R. H. (2008). Envy: Theory and Research. Oxford University Press.