关键词: 被恶意妒忌, 助人决策, 自主定向型帮助, 能动性, 人际亲密度

Abstract: Being the target of envy is a complex social phenomenon that shapes interpersonal dynamics. However, prior research has primarily focused on the envious individual, leaving limited understanding of how those who are envied respond, particularly in their willingness to engage in prosocial behavior. Findings are inconsistent: some studies link being envied to increased prosocial behavior aimed at relationship maintenance, whereas others report reduced helping tendencies driven by status protection. These inconsistencies may stem from a failure to distinguish between benign envy (rooted in admiration) and malicious envy (associated with resentment). Furthermore, most research has not distinguished between types of help—specifically, autonomous help (which empowers recipients) versus dependent help (which provides direct solutions). Integrating these dual perspectives, this study systematically examined the effects of the type of being envied (benign vs. malicious) and the presence of harming behavior on helping willingness and preferences for help type (autonomous vs. dependent help). We also tested the mediating role of agency and the moderating effect of interpersonal closeness. Three experiments (N = 838) were conducted. The results showed that being maliciously envied significantly reduced helping willingness and preference for autonomous help, but only when the envier had engaged in harming behavior; this effect was mediated by elevated agency. In contrast, being benignly envied promoted helping willingness, an effect that was more pronounced in low-competition contexts (e.g., campus) than in high-competition contexts (e.g., workplace). Individuals also showed a greater preference for autonomous help in low-threat situations. Furthermore, interpersonal closeness buffered the negative impact of being maliciously envied (with harming behavior) on helping willingness. This research clarifies that the helping decisions of envied individuals reflect a dynamic trade-off between relationship-maintenance and status-maintenance goals. By distinguishing envy types and help types, it reconciles conflicting theoretical perspectives and offers a novel understanding of prosocial strategy selection in competitive contexts.

Key words: being envied, helping decision, autonomy-oriented help, agency, interpersonal closeness