title: The communication of "pure" group-based anger reduces tendencies toward intergroup conflict because it increases out-group empathy.
abstract: The communication of group-based anger in intergroup conflict is often associated with destructive conflict behavior. However, we show that communicating group-based anger toward the out-group can evoke empathy and thus reduce intergroup conflict. This is because it stresses the value of maintaining a positive long-term intergroup relationship, thereby increasing understanding for the situation (in contrast to the communication of the closely related emotion of contempt). Three experiments demonstrate that the communication of group-based anger indeed reduces destructive conflict intentions compared with (a) a control condition (Experiments 1-2), (b) the communication of group-based contempt (Experiment 2), and (c) the communication of a combination of group-based anger and contempt (Experiments 2-3). Moreover, results from all three experiments reveal that empathy mediated the positive effect of communicating "pure" group-based anger. We discuss the implications of these findings for the theory and practice of communicating emotions in intergroup conflicts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Psychology, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS, Groningen, Netherlands. bart.de.vos@rug.nl
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: de Vos
authors.forename: Martijn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van Zomeren
authors.forename: Ernestine H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Gordijn
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Postmes
mesh_terms: D000786:Anger; D003142:Communication; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anger; communication; contempt; empathy; intergroup conflict