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Causal and moral responsibility: Antecedents and consequences of group-based guilt

Zimmermann, Anja, Abrams, Dominic, Doosje, Bertjan, Manstead, Antony S. R. (2011) Causal and moral responsibility: Antecedents and consequences of group-based guilt. European Journal of Social Psychology, 41 (7). pp. 825-839. ISSN 0046-2772. (doi:10.1002/ejsp.826) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:29552)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.826

Abstract

In six studies (N?=?1045) conducted in three European countries, we demonstrate distinctions between causal responsibility, group-based guilt, and moral responsibility. We propose that causal responsibility is an antecedent of group-based guilt linking the ingroup to previous transgressions against the victim group. In contrast, moral responsibility is a consequence of group-based guilt and is conceptualized as a sociomoral norm to respond to the consequences of the ingroup's transgressions and the current needs of the victim group. As such, moral responsibility can be stimulated by group-based guilt and directly predicts individual action intentions. Studies 1 and 2 focus on the conceptual distinctions among the three constructs. Study 3 tests the indirect effect of causal responsibility on moral responsibility via group-based guilt. The remaining studies explore the mediating role of moral responsibility in associations between group-based guilt and compensatory action tendencies, that is, financial compensation (study 4), approach and avoidance tendencies (study 5) and public apology (study 6). Together these studies show that causal and moral responsibility are psychologically distinct concepts from group-based guilt and that moral responsibility plays an important role in shaping the effects of group-based guilt on behavioral intentions.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1002/ejsp.826
Uncontrolled keywords: group-based guilt;moral responsibility;causal responsibility;support for victim compensation;individual action tendencies
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion
B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Esme Rigden
Date Deposited: 18 May 2012 14:54 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:07 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/29552 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

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