The Psychology of Revenge: Causes, Effects, and Case Studies Analysis

This psychology essay delves into the complex phenomenon of revenge, exploring its origins, psychological underpinnings, and societal impacts. The essay defines revenge as a powerful urge driven by anger and a desire for retribution, often triggered by perceived injustices or social humiliation. It examines various factors contributing to revenge, including individual tendencies towards power, authority, and status, as well as the role of narcissism. The essay then analyzes the detrimental effects of revenge, highlighting its potential to exacerbate emotional injuries, perpetuate cycles of violence, and damage personal relationships. A case study from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar illustrates the destructive consequences of acting on revenge. The essay concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding the motivations and ramifications of revenge to promote healthier emotional responses and social interactions.

Running head: PSYCHOLOGY
Assignment 2- Revenge
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Objective....................................................................................................................................2
Definitions..................................................................................................................................2
Case study..................................................................................................................................5
Background................................................................................................................................5
Evaluation..................................................................................................................................6
Discussion..................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..............................................................................................................................6
References..................................................................................................................................7

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Introduction
The urge that is individuals experience but are not discussed that much is Revenge.
Revenge is a powerful urge but there is no surety that one will feel good after acting on it.
Thus, revenge can be defined as the oneself who is usually reciprocating in kind or degree or
may impose injury in repay of something. Among the deepest human instincts, revenge is one
of them prevailing among the humans. However, according to many theorists as well as
researchers, this revenge is a type of initiating justice and that the warning of revenge may
provide as a kind of protection or enforcement of social cooperation. Moreover, it can be seen
that the motive behind revenge is in blocking the hostile actions or the threat possessing
revenge of others (McCullough et al., 2014). At time, it is also seen that individuals act
revengeful knowing that their act will not benefit them at all apart from impose suffering to
other people.
Topic-This essay will discuss about revenge and its major causes and effects.
Objective
The objective of this essay is to have a brief understanding of the topic ‘revenge’.
Definitions
Revenge is the part of people’s nature, which causes them to act impulsively through
anger rather than acting through reasoning. Thus, because of the human nature people always
want to seek revenge on those who has presented them with pain. However, people seek
revenge because after collecting information through their senses they give it a meaning
through their internal based interpretations. Thus, wrong perceptions influence one’s self
confidence, which in turn pushes a person to seek revenge. However, it is human nature to

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feel superior in some way thus, when they find that their work or they themselves are not
appreciated by others or in any way faced social humiliation or has been the victim of being
harmed by others, they feel helpless and thus, seek revenge. The feeling of being helpless will
further make the individuals weak and may develop low self-esteem and finally make the
person go through identity crisis. Therefore, when there is pressure of such strong emotions
then majority of the people tries to find gratification through revenge (MO & WU, 2013).
There is one point at every person’s life when he or she must have wanted to seek
revenge but still there are many other people those who are more revengeful. In this category
fall, those people who are more stimulated to get power, authority or status are more
vindictive. However, it can be said that individual tendency is that they always want to get
those things that they think is in scarcity. Whereas, for a person who wants to get power the
last thing that person would like to feel is being helpless thus, anyone who tries to give him
that feeling will get an aggressive respond. Another category of people who are considered to
be one among the most revenge seeking people are the Narcissists (Frey, Pearson & Cohen,
2015). This group of individuals feels overemphasized in giving importance to their self that
they view minor mistakes as a major offence. Thus, this group of people also stands at a high-
risk zone in being revengeful. It has been seen that because of the excessive unnecessary
importance these people give to themselves they believe that disobeying them or uttering any
bad words for them are unforgettable sins for them thus, they can go any extent if given that
chance to punish that other individual from whom they want to seek revenge.
Revenge has the opposite effects than what people think it to be. As portrayed in the
movies that it is an emotional undo that make people feel better by punishing the other person
as seeking revenge from them (Haj-Salem &Chebat, 2014). However, in the initial moments,
the brain might signal being rewarded from the revenge but for the long run there will be only
elongated unpleasantness of the actual sin. However, revenge never delivers justice rather it

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generates a cycle of vengeance. It however, has been found that revenge re-opens or worsens
one’s emotional injuries. There are cases where an individual might want to take revenge
from a wrong but lastly they finishes up punishing one’s own self. Thus, revenge is
ineffective because one will cause to damage to self if they move ahead neglecting the
incidence. Children find themselves in a more confusing state than the adults for whom
understanding the repercussion is also difficult. There are many dangers that people should
get aware of while they seek revenge and they are as follows-
 Revenge as the term defines is to demand punishment or termination of any wrong.
People do make mistakes because no one is perfect and thus, the mistake that affects
others becomes a major reason for the other person to seek revenge. Therefore, to
explore revenge one has a wish to reciprocate. Therefore, the danger of revenge that
comes in front is that the desire for revenge becomes so strong that it makes the
person forget that this mistake can be forgiven which further foster nasty and
devastating thoughts. The real motive of the revenge seeker is thus, to make the other
person feel that same emotions that he or she is going through (Hopkins, 2013).
 One cannot rectify them after committing a mistake so there is no scope that a
revenge seeker will think about the outcomes of their actions. Thus, another danger is
that that once an action is taken for seeking revenge there is no turning back.
 Revenge is a continuous process that does not know where to end. Thus, once a
revenge seeker starts taking revenge they cannot stop and go on in the desire to punish
or reciprocate to those who have been the reason for his or pain (Parrinder, 2015).
This continuous process damages the close relationships and leisurely eliminates the
capacity to forgive. Thus, making the revenge seeker bitter, distressing and ill-
mannered individual.

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 As a psychological damage, it has been seen that a person who desires for revenge
will always think about that very incident only which will make the situations more
difficult for them to move forward. Thus, revenge is not as pleasant as many may
think as it can explore the individual as well as the relationships (Roffey, 2012).
Case study
The biggest example of revenge has been seen in the famous play of Shakespeare
called Julius Caesar. Antony’s character was seen to have sought revenge for the death of
Caesar. However, Antony was seen to act on his emotions, which took to the deceased of
Brutus. Nevertheless, the main theme was revenge for which Antony wished to take revenge
of Caesar’s death. Revenge was further illustrated through the brutal course of action
throughout the play (Schanzer, 2013).
Background
Revenge is an old phenomenon- it has originated since the human beings first came
into reality and has frequently been imposed in cruel form. However, most individuals have
experienced injury or inappropriate at the hands of others. Historically there are total two
schools of thought in relation to revenge (Vaswani, 2014).In the bible, it has been instructed
that "give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot" to penalize a
culprit. Nevertheless, after the bible around 20,000 years or more years later there was Martin
Luther king Jr., acknowledged that “The old law of 'an eye for an eye' leaves everybody
blind." Now the question arises that which one is accurate for which a psychologist
investigate the mental machinery that is prevailing behind revenge. Those who are power
seekers for them revenge can assist to prompt others who are not to be trifled with. However,
in a society where the law that rules is weak then revenge can supply a track to keep the order
stable.

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Evaluation
Disadvantages
1. The person seeking revenge will be morally down and be bad in the eyes of others.
2. Revenge seekers emotionally, mentally, physically and socially hurt the other person.
3. It also put a mark on the negative association into the personal repute of the revenge
seeker.
4. Revenge seeks to guide individuals to an erroneous behavior that has negative results
to the guiltless around those individuals around the revenge seekers.
5. Revenge often fills a person with negative emotions that has genuine, measurable and
biological impact on the physical health (Carrera, 2013).
Discussion
Conclusion
Thus, from the above essay, it can be concluded that Revenge is a powerful urge but
there is no surety that one will feel good after acting on it. In one point or another in an
individual’s life, everyone has wanted to seek revenge. In order to get the power, status and
the things that are in scarcity individuals try to get revenge. Revenge always has harmful
effects making the revenge seeker to get morally down, hurt the other person badly and it
always assist a person to perform those behaviors that are not correct. However, it has been
seen that revenge is an age-old phenomenon existing from the day humans came to this
world.

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References
Carrera, E. (2013). Emotions and health, 1200-1700.Brill.
Frey, K. S., Pearson, C. R., & Cohen, D. (2015). Revenge is seductive, if not sweet: Why
friends matter for prevention efforts. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology,
37, 25-35.
Haj-Salem, N., &Chebat, J. C. (2014).The double-edged sword: The positive and negative
effects of switching costs on customer exit and revenge. Journal of Business
Research, 67(6), 1106-1113.
Hopkins, L. (2013). Revenge or Reconciliation?A Rejection-Based Model of Firm-Induced
Relationship Termination.
McCullough, M. E., Pedersen, E. J., Tabak, B. A., & Carter, E. C. (2014). Conciliatory
gestures promote forgiveness and reduce anger in humans. Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, 111(30), 11211-11216.
MO, H. X., & WU, S. (2013). The Concept and its Causes of the Type of Crime of
Individual's Revenge-on-society.Journal of Henan Police College, 4, 002.
Parrinder, P. (2015). Introduction. In Utopian Literature and Science (pp. 1-20). Palgrave
Macmillan UK.
Roffey, S. (2012). Introduction to positive relationships: Evidence-based practice across the
world. In Positive relationships (pp. 1-15).Springer Netherlands.
Schanzer, E. (2013). The problem plays of Shakespeare: a study of Julius Caesar, Measure
for measure, Antony and Cleopatra. Routledge.

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Vaswani, N. (2014). The ripples of death: Exploring the bereavement experiences and mental
health of young men in custody. The Howard Journal of Crime and Justice, 53(4),
341-359.