Does Social Comparison have a Significant Impact on Moral Disengagement: The Role of Benign and Malicious Envy

Social comparison, a natural psychological process where individuals assess themselves relative to others, can generate emotions like envy, particularly when individuals perceive others as superior. This research distinguishes between Benign envy (constructive), which motivates self-improvement, and Malicious envy (destructive), which can lead to destructive behaviors. The study proposes that social comparison influences moral disengagement, particularly through the mediation of envy, and that fairness perception can moderate this process. Data were collected from employees in the fast-moving consumer goods sector in Pakistan, with results confirming that both benign and Malicious envy (destructive) mediate the relationship between social comparison and moral disengagement. Additionally, fairness perception was found to moderate the impact of social comparison on envy, reducing the likelihood of moral disengagement when fairness is perceived. The findings have important implications for organizations, suggesting that fostering fairness can mitigate the negative effects of social comparison, helping to reduce unethical behaviors like moral disengagement. This study contributes to the understanding of how social comparison and envy influence ethical decision-making in organizational settings, offering practical insights for managing workplace dynamics. To implement this practically, organizations can conduct workshops on fairness perception, ensure transparent communication about performance evaluations, and create policies that reward ethical behavior while reducing comparisons between employees that could lead to envy.