Group-protective self-interest biases fairness judgments and suppresses collective guilt among the highly identified

Evidence

Equity theory points to other possible sources of guilt that may be worth investigating. Walster and colleagues (1978) propose that distress due to inequity may result from either fear of retaliation from the exploited party or a perceived threat to self-esteem in the inequitable situation. These considerations implicate a component of self-interest in judgments of fairness. Self-interest (in the form of protecting the group from retaliation or protecting the group’s positive image) can influence perceived fairness of group-based inequity. One way of protecting the group would be to alter judgments of responsibility for and justifiability of the group difference. Construing the situation as justifiable or blaming the disadvantaged group for their position helps guard against feelings of collective guilt and restore a sense of perceived equity or fairness. In fact, Doosje et al. (1998) found that highly identified group members were the least likely to report feelings of group-based guilt. They suggest that those who are less identified with their group are less threatened by the idea that their group has done something wrong and are more willing to accept group responsibility. — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 451

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Perceived group responsibility for inequity produces collective guilt — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 441; Greater prejudice predicts lower collective guilt via justifiability construals — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 453; Acknowledging group privilege triggers collective rather than individual guilt — Janet K. Swim and Deborah L. Miller, White Guilt: Its Antecedents and…, 25 (+9 more)

Broader Connections

• Group identification can both enable and block feelings of group-based guilt #corroborates (0.88) — Sonia Roccas and Yechiel Klar and Ido Liviatan, The Paradox of Group-Based Guilt, 16
• Attachment to the in-group predicts guilt while glorification predicts defensiveness #corroborates (0.86) — Sonia Roccas and Yechiel Klar and Ido Liviatan, The Paradox of Group-Based Guilt, 7
• Group-based guilt peaks at medium self-investment and drops at high levels #corroborates (0.84) — Torsten Masson and Markus Barth, The identification-guilt paradox…, 7
• Perceived justification of ingroup harm blocks collective guilt regardless of harm severity #expands (0.82) — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 156
• Social identity variables affect collective guilt only through perceived responsibility, legitimacy, and justice costs #complicates (0.80) — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 116
• Identification mode shapes whether ingroup versus outgroup criticism triggers collective guilt #expands (0.79) — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 721
• Greater prejudice predicts lower collective guilt via justifiability construals #expands (0.78) — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 453
• Affective group attachment, not mere membership perception, drives non-linear responses to collective guilt #corroborates (0.78) — Torsten Masson and Markus Barth, The identification-guilt paradox…, 26
• Internalized fairness values make group prejudice psychologically intolerable as hypocrisy #corroborates (0.75) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2081
• Acknowledging group privilege triggers collective rather than individual guilt #qualifies (0.73) — Janet K. Swim and Deborah L. Miller, White Guilt, 25
• Perceived group responsibility for inequity produces collective guilt #qualifies (0.72) — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 441