Revenge is widely regarded as the wrong and hurtful response to an injustice. In the general aggression literature, vengeance is defined as “the infliction of harm for a perceived injustice and is considered to be a motivating factor for aggressive behavior” (Wiesenthal & Roseborough 2015). Many believe that the person enacting revenge is, in fact, worse than the original aggressor. By thoroughly reviewing research, case studies, and interviews, it has become clear that there are many misconceptions regarding revenge. This essay will explore the benefits of revenge, the neurological science behind revenge, as well as the older and current models of revenge.
To start, the idea of revenge and vengeance almost always comes with a negative …show more content…
Revenge is a complex behaviour, and its effects are specific to each person. By generalizing its drawbacks, but elaborating on its benefits, the research becomes somewhat bias. In my personal life, I find it is easier to measure the degree to which revenge will be beneficial based on how close you are to the recipient of your vengeance. For example, I’m a hockey player, In a recent game I was checked by an opponent and soon after I made it my main objective to beat them, and took any opportunity I had when it came to injuring that particular player. While this is still considered revenge, it was very constructive because it helped to motivate me to play with more aggression and in turn won me the game. This worked because my relationship with the target of my revenge was not someone I new well, or at all really. However in a relationship, I am very close to my significant other, I do not believe my actions of revenge would be beneficial because I would surely feel guilt as a consequence. In my opinion, even if this research may be bias it did help me …show more content…
Primarily, revenge used to be seen as a disease and, the cure to it was forgiveness (KoneÄni 2013). However, as situations became more complicated, so did the psychology behind revenge. An example of a very complicated situation that helped to change the way psychologists thought of revenge and forgiveness was rape cases. If forgiveness was some magical cure all, and then by that logic, a rape victim should be inclined to forgive their rapist. A similar question could be posed about victims of concentration camps, and the people who committed the atrocities against them. Considering this, psychologist moved towards a more modern view of revenge and forgiveness. While some psychologist still believes forgiveness may cure revenge, they concede that the injustice must me forgivable, or that the revenge a person would take needs to be equivalent to the aggressor’s original injustice. Other psychologists “revenge and forgiveness result from psychological adaptations that became species-typical because of their ancestral efficacy in solving recurrent social problems that humans encountered during evolution” (McCullough, Kurzban Tabak, 2013). This explains that the logic behind revenge involves the changing or altering of other’s incentives to deliver benefits to one’s self. In terms of natural selection, and the evolutionary process, revenge also refrains from imposing costs on the self (McCullough,
To start, the idea of revenge and vengeance almost always comes with a negative …show more content…
Revenge is a complex behaviour, and its effects are specific to each person. By generalizing its drawbacks, but elaborating on its benefits, the research becomes somewhat bias. In my personal life, I find it is easier to measure the degree to which revenge will be beneficial based on how close you are to the recipient of your vengeance. For example, I’m a hockey player, In a recent game I was checked by an opponent and soon after I made it my main objective to beat them, and took any opportunity I had when it came to injuring that particular player. While this is still considered revenge, it was very constructive because it helped to motivate me to play with more aggression and in turn won me the game. This worked because my relationship with the target of my revenge was not someone I new well, or at all really. However in a relationship, I am very close to my significant other, I do not believe my actions of revenge would be beneficial because I would surely feel guilt as a consequence. In my opinion, even if this research may be bias it did help me …show more content…
Primarily, revenge used to be seen as a disease and, the cure to it was forgiveness (KoneÄni 2013). However, as situations became more complicated, so did the psychology behind revenge. An example of a very complicated situation that helped to change the way psychologists thought of revenge and forgiveness was rape cases. If forgiveness was some magical cure all, and then by that logic, a rape victim should be inclined to forgive their rapist. A similar question could be posed about victims of concentration camps, and the people who committed the atrocities against them. Considering this, psychologist moved towards a more modern view of revenge and forgiveness. While some psychologist still believes forgiveness may cure revenge, they concede that the injustice must me forgivable, or that the revenge a person would take needs to be equivalent to the aggressor’s original injustice. Other psychologists “revenge and forgiveness result from psychological adaptations that became species-typical because of their ancestral efficacy in solving recurrent social problems that humans encountered during evolution” (McCullough, Kurzban Tabak, 2013). This explains that the logic behind revenge involves the changing or altering of other’s incentives to deliver benefits to one’s self. In terms of natural selection, and the evolutionary process, revenge also refrains from imposing costs on the self (McCullough,