Institutional apologies can deploy advantageous comparison to self-cast as victims

Evidence

When the ingroup has also suffered violence at the hands of the outgroup, the ingroup’s suffering may be used as a justification for any and all ingroup actions (Bar-Tal, 2003). Reminders of historical oppression by one group might change perceptions of the justifiability of the ingroup’s current actions toward another group. Evidence of this was obtained in the Wohl and Branscombe (this volume, Chapter 15) research. When Jewish–North Americans were reminded of their group’s prior victimization by Germans, greater collective guilt was assigned and less forgiveness of Palestinians was reported compared to when the ingroup’s victimization history was not salient. — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 2145 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Intergroup apologies can make relations worse without preexisting trust. — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 1487; An apology restores victim status and affirms breached values simultaneously — Nurit Shnabel and Johannes Ullrich, Identity Needs in Intergroup Relations:…, 78; Intergroup apologies and forgiveness function as a barter exchange of empowerment for moral acceptance. — Nurit Shnabel and Johannes Ullrich, Identity Needs in Intergroup Relations:…, 72 (+9 more)

Broader Connections

• Reminders of a group’s own victimization history increase guilt assigned to others #complicates (0.71) — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 2145