ESP-4469

Published

2026-01-15

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2026): Publishing

Section

Research Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Lin Chen*

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

The journal adopts the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0), which means that anyone can reuse and redistribute the materials for non-commercial purposes as long as you follow the license terms and the original source is properly cited.

Author(s) shall retain the copyright of their work and grant the Journal/Publisher rights for the first publication with the work concurrently licensed since 2023 Vol.8 No.2.

Under this license, author(s) will allow third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content under the condition that the authors are given credit. No permission is required from the authors or the publisher.

This broad license intends to facilitate free access, as well as the unrestricted use of original works of all types. This ensures that the published work is freely and openly available in perpetuity.

By providing open access, the following benefits are brought about:

  • Higher Visibility, Availability and Citations-free and unlimited accessibility of the publication over the internet without any restrictions increases citation of the article.
  • Ease of search-publications are easily searchable in search engines and indexing databases.
  • Rapid Publication – accepted papers are immediately published online.
  • Available for free download immediately after publication at https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP

 

Copyright Statement

1.The authors certify that the submitted manuscripts are original works, do not infringe the rights of others, are free from academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, and that there are no disputes over the authorship scheme of the collaborative articles. In case of infringement, academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, as well as disputes over the authorship scheme, all responsibilities will be borne by the authors.

2. The author agrees to grant the Editorial Office of Environment and Social Psychology a licence to use the reproduction right, distribution right, information network dissemination right, performance right, translation right, and compilation right of the submitted manuscript, including the work as a whole, as well as the diagrams, tables, abstracts, and any other parts that can be extracted from the work and used in accordance with the characteristics of the journal. The Editorial Board of Environment and Social Psychology has the right to use and sub-licence the above mentioned works for wide dissemination in print, electronic and online versions, and, in accordance with the characteristics of the periodical, for the period of legal protection of the property right of the copyright in the work, and for the territorial scope of the work throughout the world.

3. The authors are entitled to the copyright of their works under the relevant laws of Singapore, provided that they do not exercise their rights in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Journal.

About Licence

Environment and Social Psychology is an open access journal and all published work is available under the Creative Commons Licence, Authors shall retain copyright of their work and grant the journal/publisher the right of first publication, and their work shall be licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Under this licence, the author grants permission to third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content with attribution to the author. No permission from the author or publisher is required.

This broad licence is intended to facilitate free access to and unrestricted use of original works of all kinds. This ensures that published works remain free and accessible in perpetuity. Submitted manuscripts, once accepted, are immediately available to the public and permanently accessible free of charge on the journal’s official website (https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP). Allowing users to read, download, copy, print, search for or link to the full text of the article, or use it for other legal purposes. However, the use of the work must retain the author's signature, be limited to non-commercial purposes, and not be interpretative.

Click to download <Agreement on the Licence for the Use of Copyright on Environmental and Social Psychology>.

How to Cite

Lin Chen. (2026). The literary precursor of the “involution” mentality: Interpreting social comparison and job burnout in fortress besieged and a quagmire of trivialities. Environment and Social Psychology, 11(1), ESP-4469. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v11i1.4469

The literary precursor of the “involution” mentality: Interpreting social comparison and job burnout in fortress besieged and a quagmire of trivialities

Lin Chen

JiNing Normal University, 012000, Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, China


DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v11i1.4469


Keywords: involution; social comparison; occupational burnout; environmental psychology; Fortress Besieged; A Mess of Chicken Feathers

Abstract

In this way, as a new concept describing modern competitive survival predicaments, although “involution” (neijuan) seems to be a novel term, its psychological mechanism and social origins have already been foreshadowed in classic Chinese modern literature. From the perspective of environmental psychology, social psychology, and organizational psychology theories, respectively, based on the method of qualitative analysis, this paper takes Fortress Besieged (Qian Zhongshu, 1947) and A Mess of Chicken Feathers (Liu Zhenyun, 1991) as examples, exploring how these two literary classics portray the “involution” mindset, especially focusing on its manifestation in social comparison mechanisms and symptoms of work burnout. The results show that by depicting characters from different times and classes, respectively, the two novels vividly reveal the key elements involved in the involution process: under conditions of scarce resources, the trigger frequency of social comparisons exceeds 70%; feelings of relative deprivation spread like wildfire, while self-efficacy declines; the three dimensions of work burnout—emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and sense of reduced personal accomplishment—are described in great detail in both novels, presenting us with an image of how involution as a kind of competition gradually drains our mental energy; due to the influence of competition situations, through institutionalization and internalization, the external norm becomes an internal regulation in people’s minds. During the process from the initial stage to the final stage, the proportion of internalized regulations increases from 30% to 70%. Finally, when resources are limited, zero-sum mentality emerges and cooperation tendency decreases from 78.6% to 21.4%, forming a vicious cycle between group-level dilemmas and individual powerlessness. To sum up, we find that literary texts contain abundant information about involution, which not only provides empirical data but also adds historical dimensions for studying the involution problem today. In addition, it shows what is similar across different historical periods in terms of society and psychology, giving some inspiration for solving the current involution problem in the cultural aspect, and providing some ideas theoretically.

References

[1]. 1.Wu Cuiwei. Research on the Generation Mechanism and Optimization Path of College Students' "Involutionary" Competition[J]. Data of Culture and Education, 2025,(13):176-178.

[2]. 2.Liu Baozhong, Zhao Wenhan, Chen Weixin. Research on the Multiple Impact Effects of Involution on College Students' Mental Health[J]. China Youth Study, 2025,44(04):74-87.

[3]. 3.Kim H J, Park G S, Yang C S, et al. Relationship between job stress and burnout among Korean workers in small and medium-sized enterprises[J]. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 2025,38(5):528-544.

[4]. 4.Zion B S, Reed S, Patel T, et al. Does Burnout Persist? Tracking Burnout from Residency to Early Career Pediatrician[J]. Academic Pediatrics, 2025,25(8):103025-103025.

[5]. 5.Li H J, Chen J, Yang J S. [Moderating effect of social support on the influence of occupational stress on job burnout among medical staff][J]. Zhonghua lao dong wei sheng zhi ye bing za zhi = Zhonghua laodong weisheng zhiyebing zazhi = Chinese Journal of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Diseases, 2025,43(11):832-837.

[6]. 6.Liu M. Exploring burnout, professional identity, and psychological capital in Chinese secondary school teachers: a mixed-methods study with Critical Incident Technique[J]. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 2025,12(1):1779-1779.

[7]. 7.Hu Liping, Zhong Xianguo. Research on Predicaments and Strategies for Youth Value Cultivation under the Influence of "Involution"[J]. International Public Relations, 2025,(06):45-48.

[8]. 8.Fang Xi, Ma Hanyang. Analysis of Influencing Factors and Coping Strategies for College Students' "Involution Anxiety" Mentality[J]. Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Philosophy and Social Sciences), 2025,33(03):121-138.

[9]. 9.Gao Li, Qin Jinting. Multiple Effects and Generation Mechanism of College Students' "Involution" from the Perspective of University Community Governance[J]. Journal of Zhengzhou University of Light Industry (Social Science Edition), 2025,26(01):95-104.

[10]. 10.Zhang W, Wang Y, Liu X, et al. The Psychology of Involution: Taxonomy, Sociocultural Predictors, and Psychological Outcomes[J]. Journal of Happiness Studies, 2025,26(7):127-127.

[11]. 11.Xia W, Niu L. Working hard or hardly working? The influence of leader Bottom-line mentality on employee Involution and lying flat[J]. Current Psychology, 2025,44(21):1-15.

[12]. 12.Shang H, Gao T, Niu L. Study on the mechanism of dual academic research pressure on anxiety among master's students under an involution context: evidence from a survey of 46 Chinese universities[J]. Frontiers in Psychology, 2025,16:1667922-1667922.

[13]. 13.Ma X, Li B, Nie H, et al. Low self esteem contributes to medical student social media addiction through chain mediation by academic Involution and anxiety[J]. Scientific Reports, 2025,15(1):40506-40506.

[14]. 14.Ye X, Yang W, Cheng T, et al. The Relationship Between Academic Delay of Gratification and Depressive Symptoms Among College Students: Exploring the Roles of Academic Involution and Academic Resilience[J]. Behavioral Sciences, 2025,15(11):1486-1486.

[15]. 15.Xu Ruixue. Humorous Art and Intellectual Contemplation in Qian Zhongshu's Fortress Besieged[J]. Literature and Art Weekly, 2025,(19):8-11.

[16]. 16.Shi Ruoyao. Analysis of Irony in Fortress Besieged[J]. Central Plains Literature, 2025,(20):14-16.

[17]. 17.Sun Lingyi. Satirical Art and Portrayal of Intellectual Group Images in Fortress Besieged[J]. Central Plains Literature, 2025,(16):11-13.

[18]. 18.Huang Yue'e. Appreciation of Desolate Survival Consciousness in A Mess of Chicken Feathers[J]. Literature Education (Part II), 2023,(02):43-45.

[19]. 19.Zhang Tingting, Cheng Xiuping. Dialect Translation Strategies for A Mess of Chicken Feathers from a Cross-Cultural Perspective[J]. Journal of Suihua University, 2025,45(08):81-83.

[20]. 20.Banerjee K. Bloch's conjecture on certain surfaces of general type with [formula omitted] and with an involution: The Enriques case[J]. Indagationes Mathematicae, 2025,36(5):1329-1335.

[21]. 21.Aires V K, Silva D P A, Andrade D G L, et al. Postpartum Uterine Involution in Cows: Quantitative Assessment of Structural Remodeling and Immune Cell Infiltration[J]. Animals, 2025,15(17):2520-2520.

[22]. 22.Yan Zixuan, Zhang Wenyu. Cross-sectional Survey Research on Occupational Burnout, Turnover Intention and Job Satisfaction of Elderly Care Workers[J]. Health Vocational Education, 2025,43(24):126-129.

[23]. 23.Pan Q, Ren H. On the Translation of the Allusive Idiom in Fortress Besieged from the Perspective of Domestication and Foreignization[J]. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 2024,12(04):34-49.

[24]. 24.Agata R. The besieged fortress? Urban, highly educated and highly religious: female members of Catholic groups in contemporary Poland[J]. Culture and Religion, 2023,23(2):117-139.

[25]. 25.Jacek Z. Besieged fortress syndrome as an element in building the emotions of populism[J]. Society Register, 2022,6(4):117-130.

[26]. 26.Han Huanqin, Deng Wei, Du Yujun. Current Status and Cause Analysis of Occupational Burnout Among Standardized Training Physicians in Infectious Disease Departments[J]. Yiyao Qianyan, 2025,15(34):6-10.

[27]. 27.Rinn J T. Online Social Comparison and Impostor Phenomenon Among Music Education Undergraduates[J]. Journal of Music Teacher Education, 2025,35(1):15-35.

[28]. 28.Wild U, Herman S, König M, et al. Burnout, anxiety and depression in secondary school teachers in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic scoping review & perspective of preventive occupational medicine[J]. Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology (London, England), 2025,20(1):44-44.

[29]. 29.Wen C, Zhang L, Zhang M, et al. Non-linear association of two models of occupational stress with anxiety, depression, and job burnout among workers of a petrochemical enterprise in China[J]. Psychology, Health & Medicine, 2025,1-19.

[30]. 30.Zhang Yue, Fan Yaotian, Pu Guorong, et al. Analysis of Occupational Burnout and Its Influencing Factors Among Surgical Residents Based on Mixed Methods Research[J]. Chinese Journal of Graduate Medical Education, 2025,9(12):941-946.

[31]. 31.Xu Qingwei. Strategy Research on Intervening in Occupational Burnout of Railway Young Employees from the Perspective of Psychological Capital[J]. Labor Protection, 2025,(12):62-65.

[32]. 32.Hou Z, Liu B, Li Y, et al. Seeking external recognition or pursuing internal satisfaction: The mechanism of social comparison in social media on digital green intention[J]. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2025,107:102789-102789.

[33]. 33.Zhang K, Feltovich N, Zhang Y. Pride and persistence: Social comparisons in production[J]. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, 2025,179:105169-105169.

[34]. 34.Lapitan E, Harsora R, Haggerty R K, et al. Nomophobia, anxiety, and social comparison orientation: Associations with physical health symptoms among college students[J]. Journal of American College Health: J of ACH, 2025,1-8.

[35]. 35.Gao Mingyang, Yuan Xiaotong, Wu Yulan, et al. Machine Learning-Based Nurse Occupational Burnout Risk Prediction Model[J]. Journal of Medical Informatics, 2025,46(11):50-57.

[36]. 36.Wang Fang. Research on the Relationship Between Short Video Social Network Use, Upward Social Comparison and College Students' Depression[J]. News Research Guide, 2025,16(20):45-49.

[37]. 37.Feng W, Zhang Y M, Bu B Y, et al. Fear of negative evaluation mediates and core self-evaluation moderates the relationship between social comparison orientation and social network addiction[J]. Scientific Reports, 2025,15(1):41417-41417.

[38]. 38.Azri A M, Harrasi A A, Ghailani A A, et al. The moderating roles of social comparison in the relationship between Instagram reels use and mental health outcomes: a cross-sectional study in Oman[J]. Scientific Reports, 2025,15(1):39457-39457.

[39]. 39.Wen R, Jin Q. The Effect of Upward Social Comparison on Academic Involution Among College Students: Serial Mediating Effects of Self-Esteem and Perceived Stress[J]. Behavioral Sciences, 2025,15(11):1515-1515.

[40]. 40.Wang Mengyuan, Xu Xiaomin, Lu Changqin. Research on the Consequences of Job Insecurity: From the Perspective of Social Comparison[J]. Chinese Journal of Human Resource Development, 2025,42(10):38-52.

[41]. 41.Shi Y, Deng B. Gratification in live-streaming: impact of social comparison and relationships on purchase and continuance intentions[J]. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 2025,125(11):2956-2977.

[42]. 42.Schumacher J, Hörsch H, Wolff F. (Dis)Similarity foci as accompaniment of social, dimensional, and temporal comparisons in academic self-concept formation[J]. Social Psychology of Education, 2025,28(1):207-207.

[43]. 43.Xiang Guangcan, Mou Suyue, Zhu Siyu, et al. The Relationship Between Maladaptive Cognition of Internet Use and College Students' Internalizing and Externalizing Problems: The Mediating Role of Upward Social Comparison[J]. Psychology: Techniques and Applications, 2025,13(09):524-532.

[44]. 44.Derong C. Academic Barbarism Reconsidered—A Comparative Study of Vladimir Nabokov's Pnin and Qian Zhongshu's Fortress Besieged[J]. Comparative Literature: East & West, 2020,4(1):15-27.

[45]. 45.Meng Xiaojuan, Zhao Xuanyi, Wu Fengxia, et al. The Mediating Effect of Social Comparison Between Medical Students' Attachment Types and Subjective Well-being[J]. Heilongjiang Science, 2025,16(15):27-30.

[46]. 46.Xia M. Analysis of Metaphor Translation from the Perspective of Relevance Theory—A Case Study of the Translation of Metaphor in Fortress Besieged[J]. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2021,12(1):194-198.

[47]. 47.Sviridova I, Silva A R. Hook theorem for superalgebras with superinvolution or graded involution[J]. Journal of Algebra, 2026,687:117-150.

[48]. 48.Li Xin. Comparative Analysis of Social Capital Participation Models in Ecological Protection and Restoration[J]. Study Monthly, 2025,(05):38-40.

[49]. 49.Pechtimaldjian L, Jullie M, Maya L, et al. Le télocyte : un acteur majeur dans l'involution de l'hémangiome infantile révélé par la méthode Skin-iDISCO+[J]. Annales de Dermatologie et de Vénéréologie - FMC, 2025,5(8S):A81-A82.

[50]. 50.Engler C, Pirola S, Beccaria C, et al. Kinetics of local and systemic immune cell populations in Staphylococcus aureus chronically infected bovine mammary gland during active involution[J]. The Journal of Dairy Research, 2025,1-8.



21 Woodlands Close #02-10, Primz Bizhub,Postal 737854, Singapore

Email:editorial_office@as-pub.com