Intergroup Situation Research Articles

A Theoretical Model of Victimization, Perpetration, and Denial in Mass Atrocities: Case Studies From Indonesia, Cambodia, East Timor, and Myanmar.

The present article discusses victimization, perpetration, and denial in mass atrocities, using four recent case studies from Southeast Asia. The four cases include Indonesia (in which hundreds of thousands died in anti-Communist violence), Cambodia (in which the Khmer Rouge killed more than one million civilians), East Timor (in which more than one hundred thousand civilians died during the Indonesian occupation), and Myanmar (in which the state/army is accused of genocide toward the Rohingyas). Our aim is to bring a psychological lens to these histories, with a focus on three processes relevant to genocide. We examine, first, how the victims were targeted; second, how the perpetrators were mobilized; and third, the denial, justification, meaning-making, and commemoration of the atrocities. We propose a novel theoretical model, TOPASC: A Theory of the Psychology of Atrocities in Societal Contexts, highlighting the psychology of atrocities as involving factors across the macro, meso, and micro contexts. We introduce a new model, "TOPASC: A Theory of the Psychology of Atrocities in Societal Contexts," to explain why people justify mass killings and why certain group members are consistently targeted. In our model, we explore how mass atrocities against specific groups are influenced by psychological dynamics in intergroup situations which, in turn, are shaped by socio-historical contexts and individual psychologies. To illustrate these ideas, we analyze four cases of mass atrocities in Southeast Asia: Indonesia, Cambodia, East Timor, and Myanmar. These cases highlight how different social groups, characterized by diverse ideologies, ethnicities, genders, or religions, exhibit varying vulnerabilities as perpetrators or victims based on their social and power status. Mass atrocities are not sudden occurrences but rather result from a series of complex processes and events.

Condemned or valued: Young children evaluate nonconformity based on nonconformists' group orientations

Nonconformity––the act of deviating from established norms and expectations of one's group––is often evaluated negatively, despite its potential benefits for society. Three preregistered studies (N = 153) examined how nonconformists' group orientations (attitudes and intentions toward ingroup and outgroups) might affect 4–6-year-olds' evaluations of nonconformity in intergroup situations. Study 1 examined children's default beliefs of nonconformists' group attitudes toward ingroup and outgroup. We found that children expected nonconformists to hold more positive attitudes toward their outgroup than toward their ingroup, and this expectation predicted their disapproval of nonconformity. In Study 2, however, when nonconformity was explicitly motivated by positive intentions toward the ingroup rather than toward the outgroup, children were more accepting of nonconformity. Study 3 found that among nonconformists with different types of group orientations (positive toward the outgroup, ingroup or both group), young children evaluated the most positively nonconformists who bring the ingroup and the outgroup together. Collectively, these findings suggest that children evaluate nonconformity based on nonconformists' group orientations, illuminating one mechanism for how nonconformity could be more socially accepted and valued.

Mobilizing or Sedative Effects? A Narrative Review of the Association Between Intergroup Contact and Collective Action Among Advantaged and Disadvantaged Groups

Academic In this narrative review, we examined 134 studies of the relationship between intergroup contact and collective action benefiting disadvantaged groups. We aimed to identify whether, when, and why contact has mobilizing effects (promoting collective action) or sedative effects (inhibiting collective action). For both moderators and mediators, factors associated with the intergroup situation (compared with those associated with the out-group or the in-group) emerged as the most important. Group status had important effects. For members of socially advantaged groups (examined in 98 studies, 100 samples), contact had a general mobilizing effect, which was stronger when contact increased awareness of experiences of injustice among members of disadvantaged groups. For members of disadvantaged groups (examined in 49 studies, 58 samples), contact had mixed effects. Contact that increased awareness of injustice mobilized collection action; contact that made the legitimacy of group hierarchy or threat of retaliation more salient produced sedative effects. Public We present a review of existing studies that have investigated the relationship between intergroup contact and collective action aimed at promoting equity for disadvantaged groups. We further consider the influence of contact that is positive or negative and face-to-face or indirect (e.g., through mass or social media), and we distinguish between collective action that involves socially acceptable behaviors or is destructive and violent. We identified 134 studies, considering both advantaged (100 samples) and disadvantaged groups (58 samples). We found that intergroup contact impacts collective action differently depending on group status. Contact generally leads advantaged groups to mobilize in favor of disadvantaged groups. However, contact has variable effects on members of disadvantaged groups: It sometimes promotes their collective action in support of their own group; in other cases, it leads them to be less likely to engage in such action. We examine when and why contact can have these different effects.

Cascade Active Balance Charging of Electric Vehicle Power Battery Based on Model Prediction Control

As a bi-directional converter, the Buck-Boost converter, which has the advantages of simple structure and taking the SOC of the battery as the balance variable, is adopted as the balance topology in this paper. In view of the shortcomings of traditional balance topology, which can only balance two adjacent batteries, resulting in a long balance time and insufficient balance accuracy, a cascade active balance charging topology that can balance in intra-group and inter-group situations simultaneously is proposed. At the same time, the fuzzy control algorithm and model predictive control are used as the balance control strategies, respectively, to control whether the MOSFET is on or off in the balance topology circuit. The duty cycle is dynamically adjusted to the size of the balance current to achieve the balance of the battery pack. The results show that the cascade Buck-Boost balance topology based on model prediction control can accurately control the balancing current and improve the accuracy and speed of the balance, and it is more suitable for the actual working process.

Is intergroup discrimination triggered by vaccination status? Exploring some social aspects of vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT The pandemic has affected social relations in many ways, and even created new social groups through vaccination. The goal of this study was to explore whether intergroup discrimination regarding vaccination status can be observed in a resource allocation task. Participants (N = 818; Mage = 46.0 years) completed a resource allocation task. Results showed that the better-than-average effect was widespread among the participants as most of them perceived themselves more informed about the pandemic than others. The resource allocation task showed participants preferred to create maximum difference in favor of their group in intergroup situations, but decisions were fairer when targets’ group membership was identical. Moreover, vaccinated people were more likely to use maximum difference strategies than non-vaccinated people. The results revealed that vaccination status changes the perception of intergroup situations, which may be important in planning future strategies to handle mass emergencies similar to the current pandemic.

Interpersonal bonds with fellow nationals, blind patriotism and preference for Immigrants' acculturation.

Strong interpersonal bonds between group members have been found to either increase intergroup antipathy or improve intergroup attitudes, depending on the intergroup situation. However, the question of whether close ties with fellow group members can contribute positively and negatively to intergroup attitudes at the same time remains unexplored. We explore this question in the context of a national group taking the example of Finns' acculturation attitudes toward immigrants. One adolescent sample (N = 401) and one adult student sample (N = 285) completed surveys assessing these factors. Across both studies, strong interpersonal bonds with fellow nationals showed a negative effect on acculturation attitudes toward immigrants via an increase in blind patriotism. At the same time, interpersonal bonds also had a direct and positive effect on attitudes toward contact with Finns and (among younger respondents only) attitudes toward cultural maintenance. Our results indicate that the strength of interpersonal bonds with fellow nationals has simultaneous and opposing associations with acculturation attitudes via a combination of direct and indirect pathways. Based on these results we argue that groups can be simultaneously both caring and moral communities.

Ingroup favoritism overrides fairness when resources are limited

Ingroup favoritism and fairness are two potentially competing motives guiding intergroup behaviors in human. Here, we investigate if and how limited resources can modulate the way these two motives affect individuals’ decisions in intergroup situation. In the present study, participants (N = 58) were asked to accept or reject three types of resource allocation proposals generated by a computer: the ingroup advantageous condition, outgroup advantageous condition, and neutral condition. In general, participants were more willing to accept the proposals in the ingroup advantageous condition than the outgroup advantageous or the neutral conditions, and also in the moderate inequality than the extreme inequality condition. This may indicate that people sought a careful balance between ingroup favoritism and fairness, although we also found marked individual differences in their preferences for ingroup favoritism or fairness. Importantly, as predicted, participants were more likely to show ingroup favoritism only when limited resources affect the well-being of ingroup members. The present study provides novel insights into the situational and personality factors affecting human intergroup behaviors, shedding light on motives underlying intergroup conflicts prevalent in human societies.

Psychological mechanisms of ingroup cooperation among real groups and salience of intergroup situation

Psychological mechanisms of ingroup cooperation among real groups and salience of intergroup situation

No guts, no glory? How risk-taking shapes dominance, prestige, and leadership endorsement.

Risk-taking can fuel innovation and growth, but it can also have devastating consequences for individuals and organizations. Here we examine whether risk-taking affords social-hierarchical benefits to risk-takers. Specifically, we investigate how risk-taking influences perceived dominance, prestige, and the willingness to endorse risk-takers' leadership. Integrating insights from costly signaling theory and the dominance/prestige framework of social rank, we theorized that risk-taking increases leadership endorsement to the degree that it fuels perceptions of prestige, but decreases leadership endorsement to the degree that it fuels perceptions of dominance. However, we also hypothesized that risk-induced perceptions of dominance do translate into leadership endorsement in competitive (rather than cooperative) intergroup settings. We tested these hypotheses in four studies involving different samples, methods, and operationalizations. In Study 1, participants performed an implicit association test (IAT) that revealed that people associate risk with leader positions, and safety with follower positions. Study 2 was a longitudinal field survey conducted during the September 2019 Israeli elections, which showed that voters' perceptions of politicians' risk-taking propensities prior to the elections positively predicted perceived dominance and prestige as well as voting behavior during the elections. Finally, Studies 3 and 4 demonstrated that people are willing to support risk-takers as leaders in the context of competitive (as opposed to cooperative) intergroup situations, because perceived dominance positively predicts leadership endorsement in competitive (but not cooperative) intergroup settings. We discuss implications for understanding the social dynamics of organizational rank and the perpetuation of risky behavior in organizations, politics, and society at large. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of Oxytocin on Social Comparisons in Intergroup Situations

Oxytocin (OXT) is known to affect various social processes, including social comparisons and intergroup competition. In this study, we examined whether social comparisons in intergroup situations can be modulated by OXT and, if so, how this modulation manifests. Using a double-blind placebo-controlled design, we randomly assigned male participants to either OXT or placebo treatment and then asked them to play a card game with either an in-group or an out-group member. The OXT-treated participants showed a greater social comparison effect in the games with an out-group member than in games with an in-group member. Specifically, the participants in the OXT treatment condition showed a greater acceptance rate for relative gain (downward comparison) and a lower acceptance rate for relative loss (upward comparison) while playing with an out-group member rather than an in-group member. In contrast, no such effect was observed among placebo-treated participants. These findings demonstrate that OXT facilitates intergroup social comparisons with out-group versus in-group members.

Effects of Disadvantageous Intergroup Situations on Self-Esteem:

Effects of Disadvantageous Intergroup Situations on Self-Esteem:

Wise reasoning, intergroup positivity, and attitude polarization across contexts

We hypothesized that a wisdom-based reasoning process comprised of epistemic humility, accounting for context, and integrating different perspectives and interests, would be helpful in overcoming intergroup bias and attitude polarization in societal conflicts. Here we test the hypothesis using both the Situated Wise Reasoning Scale and experimental induction. In each study, we recruited participants who self-identified as members of a group implicated in an ongoing intergroup situation. In five correlational studies (Studies 1-5) we examined the relations between measured wise reasoning and intergroup positivity and attitude polarization. In two experiments, we tested the effects of a brief online wise-reasoning thought exercise on intergroup positivity and polarization (Studies 6-7), and charitable behaviors to an outgroup (Study 6). We found that wise reasoning relates to more positivity toward outgroups and less attitude polarization across different groups and conflicts. The results have implications for theory and may also have implications for future research on interventions to improve intergroup relations.

Beat, Ignore, Force to Conform: Development and Initial Validation of a Multidimensional Scale of Acceptance of Collective Violence

Literature on collective violence usually treats an act of aggression as a unidimensional phenomenon—occurring or not. The social psychological perspective on intergroup relations shows, however, that different aspects of an intergroup situation (social context, differences in status, past relations) lead to different behaviors. This article describes the development and initial validation of the multifaceted concept of intergroup collective violence. In a series of three studies (N = 1,420, N = 1,000, N = 1,019) using mixed methodology, we constructed a scale for measuring acceptance of intergroup collective violence. Results show that it is a multidimensional phenomenon, dependent on 1) the ethnicity of the victims; 2) the perception of threat posed by them; and 3) the ideology. The results can have a substantial impact on the discipline, providing theoretical explanation of the differences in outbursts of violence in similar situations, such as pogroms.

Who is the “WE” that could include immigrants? Different aspects of common ingroups and intergroup competition

The present experimental study, with Greek participants, investigates whether some common ingroups that potentially can include immigrants, in interaction with intergroup competition present more threat for local populations. Results indicate that when the common ingroup is defined as maintaining different memberships (“inhabitants of the country”), redirecting competition towards other outgroups ( other countries) is beneficial to perceptions of migrants. On the contrary, when the common ingroup is presented as blending memberships and presenting commonalities between groups ( “workers”), redirecting competition towards an outgroup ( employers) could be detrimentaland produce almost similar results with an intergroup situation where common membership is not salient. These findings have implications both in relation to social psychological theory of Common Ingroup Identity but also in relation to immigrants’ requests for identification and integration.

ERP evidence suggests that confrontation with deterministic statements aligns subsequent other- and self-relevant error processing.

This study used event-related potential (ERP) measurements to investigate whether error processing in a social context is modulated by top-down influence of deterministic thinking, i.e., subjective beliefs that events are pre-determined by previously existing causes. To this end, half of our participants were confronted with statements denying the existence of free will, aimed to induce more deterministic thinking, whereas the other half was assigned to a control group that read neutral statements. Thereafter, all participants performed a choice-reaction task for their own and for the benefit of a second participant. Error rates were comparable in both groups and benefit settings, while only control participants showed enhanced post-error slowing (PES) in other- compared to self-relevant trials. On the neural level, other-relevant errors elicited diminished early error signals (reduced ΔERN amplitudes) in deterministic-intervention participants compared to controls. In subsequent processing, ERPs of deterministic-intervention participants did not differentiate between the benefit settings, while controls showed reduced ΔPe amplitudes for others compared to self-relevant errors. Taken together, our findings suggest that being confronted with deterministic compared to control statements reduced subsequent processing differences between other- and self-relevant error processing. This might be beneficial in social evaluation or intergroup situations because it could decrease self-cenetred processing biases often observed in these situations.

The ethnolinguistic vitality of Arabic in the Australian multicultural landscape

This paper investigates the ethnolinguistic vitality of Arabic in Australian society and the implications such vitality has on claims of a successfully multicultural Australia. Vitality in this regard is defined as ‘that which makes a group likely to behave as a distinctive and active collective entity in intergroup situations’ (Giles, Bourhis and Taylor 1977, p. 308). To conduct this research, empirical data was collected to understand the way members of the Arabic ethnolinguistic community view their own vitality. Additionally, secondary sources were studied to present an overview of the place Arabic holds within the Australian multicultural landscape. A total number of 53 (n=53) students across Melbourne were surveyed. The results indicate that when looking at the variable of demography and informal institutional support, Arabic held a high rate of vitality. However, participants believed Arabic had a low vitality in regard to the level of social status and formal institutionalised support./ Keywords: ethnolinguistic, ethnolinguistic vitality, Arabic, Arab community, multiculturalism

Collective Narcissism: Political Consequences of Investing Self‐Worth in the Ingroup’s Image

This article proposes a new theoretical framework for the reviewed state‐of‐the‐art research on collective narcissism—the belief that the ingroup’s exceptionality is not sufficiently appreciated by others. Collective narcissism is motivated by the investment of an undermined sense of self‐esteem into the belief in the ingroup’s entitlement to privilege. Collective narcissism lies in the heart of populist rhetoric. The belief in ingroup’s exceptionality compensates the undermined sense of self‐worth, leaving collective narcissists hypervigilant to signs of threat to the ingroup’s position. People endorsing the collective narcissistic belief are prone to biased perceptions of intergroup situations and to conspiratorial thinking. They retaliate to imagined provocations against the ingroup but sometimes overlook real threats. They are prejudiced and hostile. Deficits in emotional regulation, hostile attribution bias, and vindictiveness lie behind the robust link between collective narcissism and intergroup hostility. Interventions that support the regulation of negative emotions, such as experiencing self‐transcendent emotions, decrease the link between collective narcissism and intergroup hostility and offer further insights into the nature of collective narcissism.

“I know you expect me to favor my ingroup”: Reviving Tajfel's original hypothesis on the generic norm explanation of ingroup favoritism

The present research investigates the normative roots of ingroup favoritism, reviving Tajfel's (1970) abandoned “generic norm” hypothesis according to which (1) most ingroups are perceived to promote ingroup favoritism and (2) people infer this normative prescription in newly assigned minimal groups. Anti-discrimination norms are also prevalent, but we propose that these originally emanate from external (and often supra-ordinate) entities that act as “moral referees” of the intergroup situation (e.g., the United Nations Organization). Two experimental studies using the self-presentation paradigm (Jellison & Green, 1981) supported these hypotheses in a naturalistic intergroup context (Study 1; N = 110) and in a minimal group paradigm (Study 2; N = 206). Moreover, the relationship between these norm perceptions and participants' tendency toward ingroup favoritism was examined. Results revealed differences in the naturalistic and the minimal group contexts. In the naturalistic setting, the relationship between perceived norms and people's actual tendencies was contingent on political orientation. In the minimal group paradigm, inferences of the ingroup norm were, overall, the best predictor of ingroup favoritism. These findings are discussed in the light of current models of intergroup behavior.

Intercultural Competence Development Among University Students From a Self-Regulated Learning Perspective

Abstract. Intercultural competence is defined as a lifelong learning task that can be developed in any intergroup situation. A self-regulated learning model is applied to better understand the intercultural learning process that is initiated during the forethought phase, monitored during the performance phase, and evaluated during the self-reflection phase. In each phase, particular psychological constructs are important to initiate, monitor, and evaluate the learning process. The empirical goals of the present study were (1) to develop a self-report questionnaire capturing the three learning phases, (2) to test the theoretical structure of the proposed intercultural learning process, and (3) to examine two theoretically meaningful learning cycles. Data were collected from 188 women and 48 men aged 18–47 years (M = 26.41, SD = 6.19). Structural equation models (SEMs) demonstrated that intercultural learning goals, intercultural self-efficacy, and intercultural intrinsic interest form the latent factor forethought phase. In line with composite models of intercultural competence, the intercultural learning goals had a three-factor structure (knowledge domain, attitude domain, communication domain). Self-monitoring, self-recording, and self-experimentation form the latent factor performance phase. Mediation analyses provided initial evidence of the existence of two distinct learning cycles: (1) The forethought phase precedes the performance phase which precedes both self-evaluation and success attribution on intercultural competence (constructs of the self-reflection phase). (2) The performance phase precedes optimizing future learning (construct of the self-reflection phase) which precedes the forethought phase indicating the emergence of a future learning action. The theoretical and practical value of the newly developed self-assessment of intercultural competence is discussed.

The Effect of Intergroup Conflict on Ingroup Cooperation and Conformity: An Experimental Vignette Study

In this study, we aimed to test the hypothesis that intergroup conflict would enhance not only ingroup cooperation, but also conformity (frequency-dependent tendency). One hundred and eighty undergraduate students participated in a vignette experiment. They read four scenarios describing daily intergroup conflict situations, and rated behavioral intention for ingroup cooperation and frequency-dependent tendency of ingroup members. In each vignette, level of intergroup conflict (weak/moderate) was manipulated by costs of defeat. The results supported the hypothesis in part that intergroup conflict enhanced both ingroup cooperation and conformity.