You gotta fight! – Why norm-violations and outgroup criticism lead to confrontational reactions. Issue 2 (17th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ditrich, Lara; Lüders, Adrian; Jonas, Eva; Sassenberg, Kai
• Is Part Of: Cognition and emotion. Volume 36:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 254
• Page End: 272
• Publication Date: 2022-02-17
• Subjects: Confrontation -- group norms -- Fight-Flight-Freeze-system -- Behavioural Inhibition System -- intragroup conflict; Cognition -- Periodicals; Emotions and cognition -- Periodicals; 155.413
• DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2021.2002823
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-9931

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Group members frequently face group-related discrepancies, such as other group members violating group norms or outgroup members criticising the ingroup. In response, they often engage in confrontational reactions like expressing disapproval or excluding the person causing the discrepancy. The present work tests the often voiced but rarely studied idea that group-related discrepancies are met with such confrontational responses because discrepancies elicit feelings of threat. Our approach is inspired by research on threat-regulation, which links certain negative emotions to the activation of specific threat-regulatory systems. Three experiments ( N total = 680) provide evidence suggesting that group-related discrepancies foster emotions consistent with an activation of the Fight-Flight-Freeze-System (especially anger-related emotions tied to fight-tendencies), emotions consistent with an activation of the Behavioural Inhibition System (i.e. anxiety-related emotions), and confrontational intentions. The effect of discrepancies on confrontational intentions was mediated by heightened anger-related emotions. This supports the idea that confrontational reactions are driven by experienced threat and that these reactions are rightfully called confrontational. We discuss our results in relation to research on ingroup norm-violations, outgroup criticism, and threat perception.