Annu Rev Psychol January 2019 PMID 30609911

Revenge: A Multilevel Review and Synthesis.

Joshua Conrad Jackson, Virginia K Choi, Michele J Gelfand

Mentions

91
Peak: 37 in Jul 2022
across 4 sources since Jan 2019

Extended reach

1,086,777
potential audience

Total likes

1,278

Video views

12,714

Mentions per month

Jan 2019 – Sep 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter83 posts
  • News4 articles
  • YouTube2 videos
  • Blogs2 articles

AI synopsis

What people are saying

Several discussions reflect on the psychological complexities of revenge, with posts referencing studies, such as the NYC Police Department's finding of revenge-related murders. Phrases like 'surprisingly complex' and 'overall, insightful' indicate both recognition of the article's depth and the contributors' engagement with its content. Additionally, comments about the implications of revenge in social dynamics suggest a careful consideration of the research's broader societal impact.

AgreementModerate agreement

Many discussions align with the publication's ideas, indicating partial agreement.

InterestHigh interest

The posts demonstrate a high level of curiosity and discuss various facets of revenge, reflecting relevance to contemporary issues.

EngagementModerate engagement

Some participants show a moderate level of engagement, citing examples and studies that enrich the conversation.

ImpactHigh impact

Users perceive the publication as having significant implications for understanding behaviors related to revenge.

Abstract in brief

  • Revenge can seem harmful and against human instincts, but research shows there's a reason for its existence in humans.
  • Studies indicate that revenge has evolved as a response in social interactions and can be understood through social science.
  • Future research on revenge should adopt a multilevel approach, considering both individual actions and their influence on larger cultural systems, to explore how revenge affects societal change.

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Rob Henderson
@robkhenderson · X

"Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive affect immediately after a vengeful act, it only takes a few minutes for avengers to begin reporting regret, rumination, and negativity" https://t.co/FrPJiaAWa3 https://t.co/OoCU5Hhz8s

Aug 6, 2022 · 153 likes · 26 shares · 177,543 followers View post →
Rob Henderson
@robkhenderson · X

"Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact their revenge...acts perceived as severe, aggressive, and offensive to one's central moral values are most likely to elicit revenge" https://t.co/CuxL8rzlln https://t.co/wS501H9Vaf

Jul 31, 2022 · 144 likes · 18 shares · 177,543 followers View post →
Rob Henderson
@robkhenderson · X

"A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across the United States, revenge is implicated in as many as 61% of school shootings and 27% of bombings" https://t.co/FrPJiaAWa3 https://t.co/zdAA6nHqFg

Jul 30, 2022 · 137 likes · 27 shares · 177,543 followers View post →
Rob Henderson
@robkhenderson · X

"when people are calculating the appropriate severity of retributive punishment, they are more attuned to whether the punishment matches the original transgression than whether it deters future harm" https://t.co/FrPJiaAWa3 https://t.co/29sDlGYCo8

Aug 3, 2022 · 83 likes · 7 shares · 177,543 followers View post →
Rob Henderson
@robkhenderson · X

"Revenge is also less likely when victims and perpetrators are dependent on one another, such as in close friendships...some models propose that friendships may have evolved as a mechanism for mitigating harmful revenge following minor conflicts" https://t.co/FrPJiaAWa3 https://t.co/XYvAPLj9uX

Aug 2, 2022 · 68 likes · 7 shares · 177,543 followers View post →
Michele J. Gelfand
@MicheleJGelfand · X

Our new paper on Revenge is out, see the Annual Review of Psychology! https://t.co/YC7AWoplLf

Jan 6, 2019 · 11 likes · 1 share · 4,891 followers View post →

All mentions

人生がんばるくん
@oZUgKDqQ1W47915 · X

以下のレビューを参考にした。 Revenge: A Multilevel Review and Synthesis | Annual Reviews - https://t.co/R0iy35Xhgo

Sep 26, 2025 · 1 like · 75 followers View post →
Manu
@manual_sun · X

Psychological studies illustrate the spirals of escalation and radicalisation: Just as much as violence begets violence, revenge intensifies fear and anxiety ... also in the retaliator. #violence #revenge #fear https://t.co/MPRqDS1yE8

Oct 28, 2023 · 19 followers View post →
Manu
@manual_sun · X

@VoiceOfIslamUK @mtracey Revenge is a rather complex psychological process https://t.co/MPRqDS1yE8 https://t.co/xSW2kU74et

Oct 19, 2023 · 19 followers View post →
Manu
@manual_sun · X

"Interestingly, vengeful people often feel less safe from future harm than do nonvengeful people ... This evidence suggests that, of the many proximal predictors of revenge, deterrence may be among the least influential." #violence #revenge #fear https://t.co/MPRqDS1yE8

Oct 16, 2023 · 19 followers View post →
3
@selmasalome_ · X

https://t.co/kZRdCddWY3

Oct 7, 2023 · 7 followers View post →
Детектив БАДУ
@boraboraUA · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Feb 15, 2023 · 27 shares · 13 followers View post →
Ethan
@SEthanMilne · X

@FlorianBuehler The two I have printed out and keep rereading: Moral judgements: https://t.co/gYlgwohjkF Revenge: https://t.co/T2zRZxNxkh

Feb 14, 2023 · 1 like · 852 followers View post →
alephh
@alephh · X

Revenge: A Multilevel Review and Synthesis — A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge https://t.co/jUJIjR9m9b

Sep 19, 2022 · 388 followers View post →
RR ⚛️
@Rwizus · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 7, 2022 · 26 shares · 1,750 followers View post →
Luis TNT
@luisxTNT · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 7, 2022 · 26 shares · 220 followers View post →
Dr. Strong
@Heroforhealth · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 7, 2022 · 26 shares · 905 followers View post →
Jaxon Christie
@ParabolSpirit · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 7, 2022 · 26 shares · 595 followers View post →
Garth Godsman - ガース・ゴッズマン
@GarthGodsman · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 7, 2022 · 26 shares · 3,826 followers View post →
Ian
@IanAdAstra · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 4,060 followers View post →
Gilbert
@soundly_typed · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 521 followers View post →
Michał Garbino
@GarbinoMicha · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 240 followers View post →
Josh Hanson
@JoshHanson1530 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 992 followers View post →
Kathleen writes stuff
@kathleen_writr · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 648 followers View post →
Tsunami
@tsunami1075 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 48 followers View post →
Emil Barna
@BarnaEmil · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 40 followers View post →
CRE
@powerfulCRE · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 951 followers View post →
Aaron Peters
@AaronPe27299540 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 91 followers View post →
Bob Stanley
@bobstan09778500 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 373 followers View post →
Logical Analysis
@LogicalAnalysis · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 11,938 followers View post →
Fernando Nájera
@fnajerav · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 710 followers View post →
come into my tent
@boom_tentpeg · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 5,159 followers View post →
mutawasiti
@mutawasiti1 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 256 followers View post →
Детектив БАДУ
@boraboraUA · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive af…

Aug 6, 2022 · 26 shares · 13 followers View post →
Rob Henderson
@robkhenderson · X

"Perhaps most surprising is people do not feel very good after acts of vengeance. Despite the short burst in positive affect immediately after a vengeful act, it only takes a few minutes for avengers to begin reporting regret, rumination, and negativity" https://t.co/FrPJiaAWa3 https://t.co/OoCU5Hhz8s

Aug 6, 2022 · 153 likes · 26 shares · 177,543 followers View post →
hooman
@henkdre24 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "when people are calculating the appropriate severity of retributive punishment, they are more attuned to whether the pu…

Aug 4, 2022 · 7 shares · 256 followers View post →
kantifragile
@kantifragile · X

RT @robkhenderson: "when people are calculating the appropriate severity of retributive punishment, they are more attuned to whether the pu…

Aug 3, 2022 · 7 shares · 324 followers View post →
Alex Esber
@alexesber · X

RT @robkhenderson: "when people are calculating the appropriate severity of retributive punishment, they are more attuned to whether the pu…

Aug 3, 2022 · 7 shares · 1,004 followers View post →
HVAC20.com
@EfficiencyLast · X

RT @robkhenderson: "when people are calculating the appropriate severity of retributive punishment, they are more attuned to whether the pu…

Aug 3, 2022 · 7 shares · 1,348 followers View post →
Ian
@IanAdAstra · X

RT @robkhenderson: "when people are calculating the appropriate severity of retributive punishment, they are more attuned to whether the pu…

Aug 3, 2022 · 7 shares · 4,060 followers View post →
Rob Henderson
@robkhenderson · X

"when people are calculating the appropriate severity of retributive punishment, they are more attuned to whether the punishment matches the original transgression than whether it deters future harm" https://t.co/FrPJiaAWa3 https://t.co/29sDlGYCo8

Aug 3, 2022 · 83 likes · 7 shares · 177,543 followers View post →
Dan Meiers
@melbourne2049 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Revenge is also less likely when victims and perpetrators are dependent on one another, such as in close friendships...…

Aug 2, 2022 · 7 shares · 145 followers View post →
Nwoke Enugu ™
@ChukwuebukaEmj · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Revenge is also less likely when victims and perpetrators are dependent on one another, such as in close friendships...…

Aug 2, 2022 · 7 shares · 2,107 followers View post →
nj
@NasserJ97 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Revenge is also less likely when victims and perpetrators are dependent on one another, such as in close friendships...…

Aug 2, 2022 · 7 shares · 2,999 followers View post →
Cornelia_dasNordlicht
@sonnewassonst · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Revenge is also less likely when victims and perpetrators are dependent on one another, such as in close friendships...…

Aug 2, 2022 · 7 shares · 3,474 followers View post →
Rob Henderson
@robkhenderson · X

"Revenge is also less likely when victims and perpetrators are dependent on one another, such as in close friendships...some models propose that friendships may have evolved as a mechanism for mitigating harmful revenge following minor conflicts" https://t.co/FrPJiaAWa3 https://t.co/XYvAPLj9uX

Aug 2, 2022 · 68 likes · 7 shares · 177,543 followers View post →
Jhanvi Singh
@iamjhanvi22 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Aug 1, 2022 · 18 shares · 905 followers View post →
T
@mouse_potatoe · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Aug 1, 2022 · 18 shares · 198 followers View post →
Edward W.
@edwardW2 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 4,869 followers View post →
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@__femb0t · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 20,841 followers View post →
Ian
@IanAdAstra · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 4,060 followers View post →
TonyF
@ferrino100 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 2,968 followers View post →
Kurganist
@TingSomchai · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 179 followers View post →
Dan Meiers
@melbourne2049 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 145 followers View post →
KarliStorm
@StormKarli · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 1,469 followers View post →
Ivar A. Åsland Lima
@iaalima · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 98 followers View post →
Charles Bayless
@CharlesBayless · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 363 followers View post →
Human Peacocking
@HumanPeacocking · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 1,981 followers View post →
Jaxon Christie
@ParabolSpirit · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 595 followers View post →
Yuvraj Shreemali
@YuvrajShreemali · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 5 followers View post →
Selina
@PNWSelina · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 7,951 followers View post →
Amy Alkon
@amyalkon · X

RT @robkhenderson: "Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact…

Jul 31, 2022 · 18 shares · 30,144 followers View post →
Rob Henderson
@robkhenderson · X

"Despite its high costs, people routinely see vengeance as worthwhile...Some avengers will wait months or years to exact their revenge...acts perceived as severe, aggressive, and offensive to one's central moral values are most likely to elicit revenge" https://t.co/CuxL8rzlln https://t.co/wS501H9Vaf

Jul 31, 2022 · 144 likes · 18 shares · 177,543 followers View post →
Vlad
@Vlmasters0 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 31, 2022 · 27 shares · 106 followers View post →
Lliane
@_lliane_ · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 31, 2022 · 27 shares · 8 followers View post →
weewuncler
@weewuncler · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 50 followers View post →
Sergey Malchikhin
@EKGoldmann · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 65 followers View post →
Jonathan Kolikant
@JonKolikant · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 94 followers View post →
Burton Lee
@burtonlee · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 5,576 followers View post →
Rob Sica
@robsica · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 4,859 followers View post →
Suhaib Zafar
@suhaib_zafar · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 834 followers View post →
falskt vittne
@falsktvittne · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 518 followers View post →
ML
@MethodParadigm · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 72 followers View post →
AlainCo #JeSuisPrometheen e/acc
@alain_co · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 3,320 followers View post →
ardv_10
@ARDV_10 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 598 followers View post →
Jaxon Christie
@ParabolSpirit · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 595 followers View post →
Peggy Sastre
@nikitakarachoi · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 16,552 followers View post →
Oliver Scott Curry
@Oliver_S_Curry · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 5,887 followers View post →
Not Your Average Joe
@averagejoe27 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 313 followers View post →
Isegoria
@Isegoria · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 1,637 followers View post →
Nate Ariel
@NateAriel1 · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 110 followers View post →
T
@mouse_potatoe · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 198 followers View post →
Spencer
@Superior_Kitsch · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 106 followers View post →
Julie Flanagan
@dasgezirpe · X

RT @robkhenderson: "A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across t…

Jul 30, 2022 · 27 shares · 1,077 followers View post →
Rob Henderson
@robkhenderson · X

"A 2012 study by the New York City Police Department found that 42% of the city’s murders stemmed from revenge. Across the United States, revenge is implicated in as many as 61% of school shootings and 27% of bombings" https://t.co/FrPJiaAWa3 https://t.co/zdAA6nHqFg

Jul 30, 2022 · 137 likes · 27 shares · 177,543 followers View post →
Nathan Nguyen
@NathanDNguyen · X

"An emerging body of social scientific research has begun to illustrate a logic to revenge, demonstrating why revenge evolved in humans and when and how people take revenge." https://t.co/9neMspgfQd

Jan 15, 2019 · 147 followers View post →
LeaderAmp
@Leaderamp · X

RT @MicheleJGelfand: Our new paper on Revenge is out, see the Annual Review of Psychology! https://t.co/YC7AWoplLf

Jan 7, 2019 · 1 share · 1,625 followers View post →
Michele J. Gelfand
@MicheleJGelfand · X

Our new paper on Revenge is out, see the Annual Review of Psychology! https://t.co/YC7AWoplLf

Jan 6, 2019 · 11 likes · 1 share · 4,891 followers View post →
Indrajeet Patil (इंद्रजीत पाटील)
@patilindrajeets · X

Revenge: A multilevel review and synthesis https://t.co/paPMajoe3E A new theoretical framework to better understand the interplay between revenge’s psychological properties and its role in cultural evolution. https://t.co/dygn5z5bWe

Jan 5, 2019 · 10 likes · 6,790 followers View post →