People are capable of feeling collective guilt for their groups’ wrongs

Evidence

As we noted at the outset, the study of intergroup relations often leads to the bleak conclusion that such relations are bound to be marked by conflicts in which each side views even the most egregious acts committed by the ingroup as just and legitimate. While the prevalence of such biases cannot be ignored, people’s capacity to feel collective shame and guilt offers a degree of optimism as well. People clearly are capable of strong feelings of moral compunction, self-blame, and responsibility for the transgressions of their groups. — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 372

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Collective guilt is felt when the self’s group illegitimately harmed another group — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 0; Group members legitimize their ingroup’s harmful actions to avoid guilt — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 53; Collective guilt mediates the link between perceived injustice and policy endorsement. — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt: International…, 460 (+13 more)

Broader Connections

• Group members feel collective guilt for historical ingroup harm they did not cause. #exemplifies (0.92) — Nurit Shnabel and Johannes Ullrich, Identity Needs in Intergroup Relations, 56
• Highly identified group members resist feeling collective guilt by reinterpreting events #complicates (0.83) — John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 2278
• Highly identified group members minimize collective guilt by morally reinterpreting ingroup wrongs #complicates (0.83) — , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature of…, 2278
• Perceiving a group’s wrongdoing as situationally justifiable blocks collective guilt #qualifies (0.82) — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 297
• Group members feel guilt by association without personal responsibility for the harm. #expands (0.80) — Michael T. Schmitt, Daniel A. Miller, Nyla R. Branscombe, and Jack W. Brehm, The Difficulty of Making Reparations…, 15
• The most loyal group members are least likely to feel collective guilt #complicates (0.80)
• Vicarious group responsibility for others’ suffering triggers shame or guilt. #expands (0.79) — Emanuele Castano, On the Perils of Glorifying the In-group, 63
• The source of disapproval reverses who feels most collective guilt #expands (0.78) — Nyla R. Branscombe and Bertjan Doosje (eds.), Collective Guilt, 721
• Acknowledging group privilege triggers collective rather than individual guilt #expands (0.76) — Janet K. Swim and Deborah L. Miller, White Guilt, 25