Perpetual ingroup victimhood as a distorted lens: Effects on attribution and categorization

Noa Schori-Eyal*, Yechiel Klar, Yarden Ben-Ami

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Scopus citations

Abstract

Although the effects of group-based victimhood on attitudes and emotions have been demonstrated in previous research, the ways it affects cognitive processes remain unclear. Four studies examined how a perpetual ingroup victimhood orientation (PIVO) affects cognitive biases. High levels of PIVO were associated with the categorization of more outgroups as hostile to the ingroup, and more rapid responses when using an enmity criterion (Study 1). PIVO was also associated with more attributions of malevolent intentions and fewer attributions of neutral intentions to outgroup members in ambiguous situations (Study 2a); when primed with reminders of historical group trauma, attribution of malevolent intentions increased among high- but not low- PIVO individuals (Study 2b). However, the effect extended to all participants when using a larger sample (Study 2c). The implications of these categorization and attributional biases are discussed in particular as regards the self-perpetuating nature of perceived group victimhood.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)180-194
Number of pages15
JournalEuropean Journal of Social Psychology
Volume47
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2017

Funding

FundersFunder number
Tami Steinmetz Center for Peace Research
Open University of Israel
European Cooperation in Science and TechnologyIS1205
Israel Science Foundation
Tel Aviv University

    Keywords

    • attribution
    • categorization
    • group-based victimhood
    • historical victimization
    • intergroup conflict

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