The Social Psychology of Peer Downfall: A Systematic Review of Schadenfreude, Moral Disengagement, and Hostile Responses in Close Systems.

This article focuses on a review examining the psychological mechanisms behind hostile reactions, specifically schadenfreude, to peer downfall within social systems structured by implicit hierarchies. Drawing on research from social, organizational, and experimental psychology spanning 1954 to 2025, the review explores how self-evaluation threat, perceived deservedness, and status comparisons contribute to these responses, alongside moral disengagement processes that justify socially harmful behavior. It proposes an integrative model linking emotional reactions, cognitive justification, and structural conditions, highlighting how evaluative pressure, competitive norms, and digital visibility intensify such hostility. The review also discusses implications for designing social and organizational environments that mitigate comparison-driven hostility and encourage ethical interactions. [Extracted from the article]