I'd like to know how you define envy or draw out answers about envy on your seven deadly sin survey. I think it's not exactly the same thing as comparison, but I do think it is an emotion that comes from a certain kind of comparison. There's no empirical evidence that envy can be a motivator. Here are the four questions on the seven deadly sin scale that we use to index envy.
What does social media do to our self-esteem? How is envy affecting our politics? And should you go to your high school reunion?
Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/