Collective guilt intensity is set by motivation deterred by reparation cost.

Evidence

These results confirm the prediction that the intensity of guilt is a function of the perceived difficulty of making reparations. When making reparations was easy, or difficult, the intensity of guilt was lower than when the difficulty of making reparations was at an intermediate level. Furthermore, this pattern of results is difficult to explain without assuming that collective guilt is linked with motivation, the intensity of which is determined by the level of deterrence for making reparations. — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 576

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Collective guilt follows an inverted-U curve peaking when reparations require moderate effort. — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 574; Collective guilt can be functional by motivating reparative action — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 229; Collective guilt peaks at moderate rather than low or high reparation difficulty — Michael T. Schmitt, Daniel A. Miller, Nyla R. Branscombe, and Jack W. Brehm, The Difficulty of Making Reparations…, 4 (+4 more)

Broader Connections

• Reparation difficulty has an inverted-U effect on collective guilt #corroborates (0.95) — Torsten Masson and Markus Barth, The identification-guilt paradox…, 70
• Collective guilt peaks at moderate rather than low or high reparation difficulty #corroborates (0.90) — Michael T. Schmitt, Daniel A. Miller, Nyla R. Branscombe, and Jack W. Brehm, The Difficulty of Making Reparations…, 4
• Guilt works as motivation whose intensity tracks the cost of required action. #expands (0.88) — Michael T. Schmitt, Daniel A. Miller, Nyla R. Branscombe, and Jack W. Brehm, The Difficulty of Making Reparations…, 61
• Men feel most collective guilt when reparations are moderately difficult. #exemplifies (0.85) — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 575
• Collective guilt can be functional by motivating reparative action #expands (0.80) — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 229
• The perceived cost of reparations functions as a rhetorical deterrent to feeling guilt #qualifies (0.78) — Michael T. Schmitt, Daniel A. Miller, Nyla R. Branscombe, and Jack W. Brehm, The Difficulty of Making Reparations…, 79