Revenge Isn't Sweet?

Apparently not all what it's cooked up to be:

Most of us have revenge fantasies, human behavior researchers say, and nearly everyone believes that punishing someone who did him wrong would feel tremendously satisfying. But new studies suggest the reality of revenge is far different. Acting on vengeful thoughts often isn't nearly as gratifying as expected and — surprisingly — can even make people feel worse.

Still, the delicious pleasure anticipated from taking revenge is such a powerful drive that it appears to be hard-wired in the brain.

University of Zurich scientists found that merely contemplating revenge stimulates a region of the brain called the dorsal striatum, which is known to become active in anticipation of a reward or pleasure, such as making money or eating good food.

...It's not surprising that our brains signal "pleasure" at the prospect of punishing someone who wronged us, says Michael McCullough, a University of Miami psychologist and author of "Beyond Revenge: The Evolution of the Forgiveness Instinct." Although it can be a misguided, costly craving in the modern world, evolutionary psychologists believe the thirst for revenge ensured our ancestors' survival — retaliation was the only way for victims to deter aggressors from harming them or their tribes in the future.

...In the personal arena, revenge research is sparse. For instance, nobody knows if getting even with a cheating spouse actually makes anyone feel better. But studies that simulate how it feels to be cheated on financially strongly suggest that vengeful acts can backfire.

...Dour men and women who see rotten motives everywhere tend to seek revenge more than others, says Bies. That's probably because they're more likely to stew over events that others would shrug off, seeing them instead as evidence that people are "out to get them" and thus deserving of retaliation. But there is no true "personality profile" of avengers, he says.

Environmental factors play a role too. When trust is low and people feel they can't gain justice through official channels, the vigilante instinct tends to take over.

"The environment counts the most here," McCullough says. "The penchant for revenge under certain circumstances is within all of us."