The DOI matches its Crossref record; 97 of the 99 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Collective guilt: Emotional reactions when one's group has done wrong or been wronged
Abstract
We examine the conditions that facilitate feelings of collective guilt, and consider the prevalent historial and contemporary conditions that inhibit such guilt. Specifically, we outline the important role that self-categorisation as a member of a group that is responsible for illegitimately harming another group plays in inducing collective guilt. We also consider strategies that legitimise the harm done, along with how the costs of creating a more just relationship with the harmed group can affect the extent to which collective guilt is experienced. The ease of undermining the necessary antecedents for feeling collective guilt suggests that it may be a relatively rare emotional experience, particularly during ongoing intergroup hostilities. We present studies illustrating the important role that categorisation plays in both collective guilt acceptance and its assignment to members of other social groups who have harmed the ingroup. We illustrate the consequences for social change processes when the necessary conditions for collective guilt to be experienced are met.
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“Accepting responsibility for the ingroup transgressions threatens the positive image of the ingroup (Wohl, Branscombe, & Klar, 2006).”
From Collective Narcissism: Political Consequences of Investing Self‐Worth in the Ingroup’s Image (2019) · cites this paper as Wohl, Branscombe, & Klar, 2006
Citations
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Sorted by citations
Brady, W. J., Crockett, M. J., & Van Bavel, J. J. (2020) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691620917336 · Cited by 417
Behavioral dimensions of climate change: drivers, responses, barriers, and interventions
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Deny, Distance, or Dismantle? How White Americans Manage a Privileged Identity
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Metadata
- Authors
- Wohl, M. J. A., Branscombe, N. R., & Klar, Y.
- Affiliations
- Carleton University (CA)
- University of Kansas (US)
- Tel Aviv University (IL)
- Corresponding author
- Wohl, Michael J. A.
- Venue
- European Review of Social Psychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2006-01
- Volume
- 17
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 1-37
- ISSN
- 1046-3283 (ISSN-L)
- 1479-277X
- OpenAlex
- W2012711999
- Cited by
- 339
- References
- 99
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 25 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 27.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- European Review of Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Emotions and Moral Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Forgiveness and Related Behaviors
- Keywords
- collective guilt, self-categorization, intergroup relations, intergroup hostility, social change, emotional responses
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