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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
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Comparing Bibliometric Analysis Using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science Databases
Published on: October 24, 2019
Schadenfreude scholarly research: A scientometric and Bayesian analysis.
Mohamed M Mostafa1, Ahmed M Moustafa2
1Institute of Business Administration-Karachi, Pakistan.
Acta Psychologica
|July 8, 2026
Summary
This bibliometric analysis reveals key journals and emerging trends in schadenfreude research. It highlights sparse international collaboration and identifies citation hotspots in dark personality traits and consumer behavior.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Bibliometrics
- Social Sciences
Background:
- Schadenfreude, the experience of pleasure derived from another person's misfortune, is a complex emotion with significant research interest.
- A comprehensive understanding of the scholarly landscape surrounding schadenfreude is needed to identify research trends and collaboration patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a bibliometric network analysis of schadenfreude research published between 1993 and 2022.
- To identify influential scholars, key journals, collaborative networks, and emerging research hotspots in the field of schadenfreude.
- To analyze citation patterns across different schadenfreude research topics.
Main Methods:
- Bibliometric network analysis of 264 articles from the Web of Science (WoS) database.
- Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) to explore the domain's complexity.
- Bayesian negative binomial regression to identify factors influencing citation counts.
Main Results:
- Top journals include Personality and Individual Differences, Motivation and Emotion, and Cognition and Emotion.
- Limited author, organizational, and international collaboration suggests a potential 'East-West' research divide.
- Research on dark personality traits, esteem dynamics, intergroup dynamics, empathy, consumer behavior, and sports fandom attracts the most citations.
Conclusions:
- This study provides a retrospective overview of schadenfreude research, mapping its evolution and key contributors.
- Identified research hotspots and citation patterns offer valuable insights for future research directions and potential collaborations.
- Understanding the dynamics of schadenfreude research can inform interdisciplinary studies on social comparison and emotional responses.
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