People treat others poorly to regulate their own negative self-feelings
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 78/100
Multiple studies demonstrate that individuals often engage in aggression, bullying, or mistreatment toward others as a defensive or retaliatory response to regulate their own negative self-feelings, stress, and diminished self-esteem.
Evidence for · 5
Dark Triad and relational aggression: the mediating role of relative deprivation and hostile attribution bias.
2024 · cited by 2
Dark Triad traits predict relational aggression through relative deprivation and hostile attribution bias.
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More for · 4
Perceived discrimination as a predictor of cyberbullying: the mediating role of self-esteem and moderating role of self-compassion.
2024 · cited by 1
Perceived discrimination leads to cyberbullying, mediated by diminished self-esteem.
From defense to reconstruction: The hostility-meaning dual-path model of how observing others' adversity influences distress disclosure.
2026 · cited by 0
Stress and reduced self-esteem trigger defensive hostility as a reaction to others' adversity.
Bullying, minority stress and revenge impulse among autistic college students: group differences by sexual and gender minority status.
2026 · cited by 0
Bullying victimization increases minority stress which subsequently drives retaliatory and aggressive impulses.
School bullying predicts malevolent creativity in middle school students through anger and hostile attribution bias.
2026 · cited by 0
School bullying fosters aggressive or malevolent outcomes via emotional pathways like anger and hostile attributions.