Perspective taking and opinions about forms of reparation for victims of historical harm.
The authors investigated the effects of perspective taking on opinions about reparations for victims of historical harm. In two studies, they showed that when non-Indigenous Australians took an Indigenous Australian perspective, this increased perceived entitlement to, and decreased anger toward, monetary compensation. Moreover, perceived entitlement mediated the relationship between anger about monetary compensation and perspective taking. Study 2 demonstrated the mutual influence of emotions and perceived entitlement. In particular, self-image shame rather than group-based guilt or anger predicted support for reparation when an Indigenous Australian perspective was adopted. The results suggest that taking the perspective of people who have experienced harm from one's own group can bolster a commitment to positive social change in relation to a pressing social issue.
Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide 5001, South Australia, Australia. mariette.berndsen@flinders.edu.au
Mariëtte
M
Berndsen
Craig
C
McGarty
D000328:Adult; D000786:Anger; D001315:Australia; D035881:Compensation and Redress; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006167:Guilt; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011639:Public Opinion; D011822:Race Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D012649:Self Concept; D012752:Shame; D012935:Social Justice; D055815:Young Adult