TY - JOUR
T1 - Motivated to "Forget"
T2 - The Effects of In-Group Wrongdoing on Memory and Collective Guilt
AU - Rotella, Katie N.
AU - Richeson, Jennifer A.
PY - 2013/11
Y1 - 2013/11
N2 - Reminders of in-group wrongdoing can prompt defensive responses that affect intergroup relations. Across two studies, American participants were randomly assigned to have their American identity increased (or not), then read a passage describing the negative treatment of Native American Indians by perpetrators described as either early Americans (i.e., in-group members) or European settlers (i.e., out-group members). Memory for the content of the passage and feelings of collective guilt were assessed. Participants demonstrated poorer memory when the perpetrators were framed as in-group (Americans), rather than out-group (Europeans), members. Further, participants in the in-group perpetrator condition whose American identification was primed experienced less collective guilt compared with participants in the in-group perpetrator condition whose American identification was not primed. Implications for intergroup relations and the understanding of collective memory are discussed.
AB - Reminders of in-group wrongdoing can prompt defensive responses that affect intergroup relations. Across two studies, American participants were randomly assigned to have their American identity increased (or not), then read a passage describing the negative treatment of Native American Indians by perpetrators described as either early Americans (i.e., in-group members) or European settlers (i.e., out-group members). Memory for the content of the passage and feelings of collective guilt were assessed. Participants demonstrated poorer memory when the perpetrators were framed as in-group (Americans), rather than out-group (Europeans), members. Further, participants in the in-group perpetrator condition whose American identification was primed experienced less collective guilt compared with participants in the in-group perpetrator condition whose American identification was not primed. Implications for intergroup relations and the understanding of collective memory are discussed.
KW - collective guilt
KW - memory
KW - social identity threat
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84885655783&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84885655783&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1948550613482986
DO - 10.1177/1948550613482986
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84885655783
VL - 4
SP - 730
EP - 737
JO - Social Psychological and Personality Science
JF - Social Psychological and Personality Science
SN - 1948-5506
IS - 6
ER -