Perceiving a group as powerful and malevolent rationalizes extreme violence as self-defense
Evidence
Conspiracy theories and related rumors that blame disliked events on the machinations of a group are the hallmark of envious prejudice and scapegoating. Intergroup emotion theory (Smith & Mackie, ch. 22 this volume) suggests that an outgroup that is perceived as intentionally having brought about calamities for the ingroup will elicit strong (group-based) anger. If a scapegoated group is viewed as both powerful and malevolent, even the most extreme actions against them (e.g., murder) can be rationalized as self-defense. ā , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature ofā¦, 1587 (
#corroborates, via linked claim)
Conspiracy theories and related rumors that blame disliked events on the machinations of a group are the hallmark of envious prejudice and scapegoating. Intergroup emotion theory (Smith & Mackie, ch. 22 this volume) suggests that an outgroup that is perceived as intentionally having brought about calamities for the ingroup will elicit strong (group-based) anger. If a scapegoated group is viewed as both powerful and malevolent, even the most extreme actions against them (e.g., murder) can be rationalized as self-defense. ā John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1587 (
#corroborates, via linked claim)
Categorization
- XREF: connects to: Cornered destructiveness stops distinguishing self-destruction from outward violence ā Theodor W. Adorno, Minima Moralia: Reflections fromā¦, 118; The perceived permanent Enemy binds pluralist societies into cohesive defense societies ā Herbert Marcuse, One-Dimensional Man: Studies in theā¦, 235; Racial self-sanctiļ¬cation operates as paranoid group self-defense against imagined impurities. ā David Theo Goldberg, The Threat of Race: Reflections onā¦, 1386 (+17 more)
Broader Connections
- Perceived outgroup power plus malice lets mass murder self-justify as self-defense
#corroborates(1.00) ā , Rudman, Laurie A - On the Nature ofā¦, 1587 - Perceiving an outgroup as powerful and malevolent rationalizes even murder as self-defense.
#corroborates(1.00) ā John F. Dovidio, Peter Glick, Laurie A. Rudman, On the Nature of Prejudice, 1587