The idiom 'revenge is sweet' has been around for centuries, but new research has found it to be true.

A recent study found we feel measurably happier after taking action against others who have harmed us.

Researchers discovered that people do not just feel good undertaking vengeful acts, but that they actually seek out these opportunities to make themselves feel better.

A study finds once people are socially rejected they will do anything to repair their mood. The researchers found that by taking action against those who have harmed us, even just sticking pins in a voodoo doll while chanting their name, boosts our mood

REVENGE IS SWEET Researches from the University of Kentucky conducted a study with 156 participants who all wrote an essay about a personal experience. The participants were told to trade with another subject so the essays could be critiqued. In one group, the researcher pretended to be a participant and gave everyone bad feedback such as 'one of the worst essays I have ever read'. The mood of the participants were measured before and after they were given the chance to express their aggression. Their aggression was released by sticking pins in a virtual voodoo doll while imaging it was the person who critiqued their essay. Not only did the mood improve of those who stuck the voodoo doll with pins,but there was a point where their mood was indistinguishable from the other group of subjects who received nice feedback. Advertisement

David Chester and C. Nathan DeWall from the University of Kentucky tested the idea that social rejection can force us to repair our mood by any means possible, which could mean causing harm to those that hurt us, reports Alex Fradera with The British Psychological Society.

The team asked 156 participants to write an essay focusing on a personal topic and then switch with another participant so it can be critiqued.

In one group, the researcher pretended to be a participant and gave everyone bad feedback such as 'one of the worst essays I have ever read'.

The team measured the mood of the participants before and after they were given the chance to express their aggression - their aggression was released by sticking pins in a virtual voodoo doll while imaging it was the person who critiqued their essay.

Not only did the act of sticking fabric dolls with pins enhance the mood of the rejected participants, the researchers noticed a point where their mood was indistinguishable from the other group of subjects who received nice feedback.

To understand the motives behind aggressive behavior, the researchers conducted another study with a separate group of 154 participants.

Researchers discovered that people do not just feel good undertaking vengeful acts, but that they actually seek out these opportunities to make themselves feel better

RELATIONSHIP REVENGE Buying groceries with a brand that the other partner dislikes is being used as a subtle way to exact revenge, scientists said. So called ‘oppositional choice’ would involve for instance buying Diet Coke, when one’s partner prefers the full-sugar version. The petty tactic is used subconsciously as a means of revenge by a woman with a poor level of power in the relationship but feels unable to voice her frustrations openly, a study suggests. Dr Danielle Brick, an assistant professor of marketing said: ‘By unconsciously choosing the opposite brand their partner prefers, people might feel better without realizing it. ‘We found that consumers are using brand choice as a form of behavior to deal with conflict in relationships.’ Partners who were low in relationship power and had been primed to feel frustrated were more likely to select brands that were the opposite of what their partners preferred - known in marketing as ‘oppositional brand choices’ Advertisement

This time, subjects were given a pill that they were told would enhance their thinking for upcoming tests in the study – in reality, they were all placebo pills.

Also, some of the participants were told that the pill came with a side-effect – once it was working, their mood would become fixed and unchanging.

All of the subjects were then asked to play a computer-based game where they and two other players tossed a ball around.

Those placed in the 'Rejection condition' were given the cold shoulder from the two other players.

Once the game was finished, the participants shared how rejected they felt and were then given the opportunity to take revenge on those who ignored them in the game.

Although the experiments were focused on revenge as a way to feel better, Chester and DeWall recommend other ways to heal your wounds. The unpleasant mood you feel after social rejection can be repaired by other alternatives like meditation or exercise - not harmful acts

The second game let players punish the losers with a blast of noise their headphones.

It was found that the participants who were treated unfairly in the first game chose to inflict louder sounds on their opponent who had rejected them earlier.

But this wasn't the case for those who were told the pill they took fixed their mood.

The researchers told these participants during the break of the game that the pill was fully active and their mood should stay as is for at least an hour.

And it was found that they kept the sound blast to the lower levels.

Although they did feel rejected by the other participants, they believed the pill would restrict them from improving their mood – so they did not see a point in seeking revenge.

The results of this study suggest that even though aggressive actions may seem pointless, they can have a purpose and deliver a desired outcome.