Fear of Envy Scale (FES-21)

Introduction

The Fear of Envy Scale (FES-21) is a self-report psychometric instrument designed to assess the extent to which individuals fear becoming the target of others’ envy. The scale evaluates cognitive, emotional, and behavioral responses associated with concerns that one’s success, achievements, possessions, or personal qualities may provoke envy in others. It is commonly used in personality, social, organizational, and health psychology to investigate the interpersonal consequences of perceived envy.

Description

The FES-21 consists of 21 items assessing multiple dimensions of fear of envy, including:

  • Concerns about attracting others’ envy.
  • Emotional discomfort related to personal success.
  • Tendency to conceal achievements.
  • Interpersonal insecurity following positive outcomes.
  • Behavioral strategies aimed at avoiding envy from others.

Items are typically rated using a Likert-type response scale, with higher scores indicating greater fear of being envied.

Purpose

The FES-21 is designed to:

  • Assess fear of becoming the target of envy.
  • Examine interpersonal consequences of success and achievement.
  • Investigate the relationship between envy, psychological well-being, and social functioning.
  • Support research in personality and organizational psychology.
  • Evaluate interventions aimed at improving self-confidence and interpersonal relationships.

Administration

The questionnaire is self-administered and generally requires 5–10 minutes to complete. It is suitable for adults and can be administered individually or as part of larger psychological assessment batteries in research and clinical settings.

Scoring

Each item is scored according to the response scale, and item scores are summed or averaged to obtain a total score. Higher scores indicate greater fear of being envied, stronger concerns about negative social reactions, and increased tendencies to suppress or minimize personal achievements.

Interpretation

Higher FES-21 scores suggest that individuals may experience anxiety or discomfort when receiving recognition, success, or admiration, potentially influencing self-presentation, interpersonal relationships, and workplace behavior. Lower scores indicate greater comfort with achievement and reduced concern about provoking envy in others.

Statistical Analysis

The psychometric evaluation of the FES-21 commonly includes:

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

These analyses help establish the reliability and construct validity of the instrument across different populations.

Applications

The FES-21 is widely used in:

  • Personality psychology.
  • Social psychology.
  • Organizational and occupational psychology.
  • Health psychology.
  • Cross-cultural research.
  • Interpersonal relationship studies.

Advantages

  • Comprehensive assessment of fear of envy.
  • Useful for investigating social and interpersonal functioning.
  • Applicable across clinical, organizational, and research settings.
  • Suitable for examining the psychological consequences of success and achievement.

Limitations

As a self-report instrument, responses may be influenced by social desirability, cultural norms regarding success, and individual differences in self-awareness. Results should be interpreted alongside complementary measures of personality, interpersonal functioning, and emotional well-being.

References

Smith, R. H., Parrott, W. G., Diener, E. F., Hoyle, R. H., & Kim, S. H. (1999). Dispositional Envy.

Van de Ven, N., Zeelenberg, M., & Pieters, R. (2009). Leveling Up and Down: The Experiences of Benign and Malicious Envy.

Lange, J., & Crusius, J. (2015). Dispositional Envy Revisited: Unraveling the Motivational Dynamics of Benign and Malicious Envy.

Tai, K., Narayanan, J., & McAllister, D. J. (2012). Envy as Pain: Rethinking the Nature of Envy and Its Implications for Employees and Organizations.