The Existence of Schafenfreude

Revenge 'more satisfying for men'

Men appear to get greater satisfaction than women when witnessing retribution, research suggests.

Scientists monitored brain activity in people while they watched someone they either liked or disliked apparently suffering pain.

While women showed signs of empathy with people they both liked and disliked, men appeared to enjoy pain being inflicted on their foes.

The study, by University College London, is published in Nature.

This investigation would seem to indicate there is a predominant role for men in maintaining justice and issuing punishment Dr Tania Singer

A series of tests was undertaken involving 32 male and female volunteers.

They were joined by four actors whose true identity was kept secret from the rest of the group read the rest of the article in Nature