Antecedents and Consequences of Satisfaction and Guilt Following Ingroup Aggression

Three studies investigated the role of intergroup satisfaction in intergroup confl ict. After reading about real acts of aggression committed by an ingroup, participants reported how those actions made them feel and how much they would support similar aggression in the future. In all three studies, experiencing intergroup satisfaction increased support for similar aggression, whereas experiencing intergroup guilt decreased support for similar aggression. Study 2 showed that ingroup identifi cation increased justifi cation appraisals, which increased satisfaction and decreased guilt, and thus increased support for future aggression. Study 3 provided an experimental test of the model: when justifi cation appraisals were manipulated, emotion and support for further aggression changed accordingly. These fi ndings demonstrate conditions under which intergroup satisfaction can facilitate and sustain intergroup confl ict.