Group Morality and Intergroup Relations: Cross-Cultural and Experimental Evidence

Cohen, T. R., Montoya, R. M., & Insko, C. A. (2006). Group morality and intergroup relations: Cross-cultural and experimental evidence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 1559-1572. doi: 10.1177/0146167206291673

47 Pages Posted: 11 May 2014 Last revised: 26 Jun 2014

See all articles by Taya R. Cohen

Taya R. Cohen

Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business

R. Montoya

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill

Chester Insko

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill

Date Written: 2006

Abstract

An observational, cross-cultural study and an experimental study assessed behaviors indicative of a moral code that condones, and even values hostility toward outgroups. The cross-cultural study, which used data from the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample (Murdock & White, 1969), found that for preindustrial societies, as loyalty to the ingroup increased the tendency to value outgroup violence more than ingroup violence increased, as did the tendencies to engage in more external than internal warfare, and enjoy war. The experimental study found that relative to guilt-prone group members who were instructed to remain objective, guilt-prone group members who were instructed to be empathic with their ingroup were more competitive in an intergroup interaction. The findings from these studies suggest that group morality is associated with intergroup conflict.

Keywords: morality; intergroup conflict; loyalty; guilt; empathy; ethics; groups

Suggested Citation

Cohen, Taya R. and Montoya, R. and Insko, Chester, Group Morality and Intergroup Relations: Cross-Cultural and Experimental Evidence (2006). Cohen, T. R., Montoya, R. M., & Insko, C. A. (2006). Group morality and intergroup relations: Cross-cultural and experimental evidence. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32, 1559-1572. doi: 10.1177/0146167206291673, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2435651

Taya R. Cohen (Contact Author)

Carnegie Mellon University, Tepper School of Business ( email )

5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
United States
4122686677 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www.tepper.cmu.edu/our-faculty-and-research/about-our-faculty/faculty-profiles/tcohen/cohen-t

R. Montoya

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill ( email )

102 Ridge Road
Chapel Hill, NC NC 27514
United States

Chester Insko

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill ( email )

102 Ridge Road
Chapel Hill, NC NC 27514
United States

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