Which of the following best describes the emotion of schadenfreude?

• A. Feeling pride in one's own achievements
• B. Feeling guilt after causing harm to someone
• C. Feeling empathy for someone experiencing sadness
• D. Feeling pleasure at another person's misfortune

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that schadenfreude is a German term used in psychology to describe a specific emotional experience.
2. Recognize that schadenfreude refers to the feeling of pleasure or satisfaction derived from another person's misfortune or difficulties.
3. Differentiate schadenfreude from other emotions such as pride (which relates to one's own achievements), guilt (which involves feeling bad after causing harm), and empathy (which involves sharing or understanding another's sadness).
4. Note that the key aspect of schadenfreude is the positive feeling (pleasure) linked to someone else's negative experience (misfortune).
5. Conclude that the best description of schadenfreude is 'feeling pleasure at another person's misfortune.'