Collective Punishment: When is Our Group Responsible for Our Actions?

IACM 17th Annual Conference Paper

11 Pages Posted: 26 Oct 2004

See all articles by Rebecca Wolfe

Rebecca Wolfe

Princeton University

Ann E. Tenbrunsel

University of Notre Dame - Department of Management & Administration Sciences

John M. Darley

Princeton University

Kristina A. Diekmann

University of Utah - Department of Management

Date Written: June 2004

Abstract

This study explores the conditions under which people are willing to punish collectives for an individual's actions - i.e., collective punishment. Manipulating the perspective of the participant and the control the collective had over the perpetrator, the authors found collectives received harsher punishments when the collective had control over the perpetrator and the participant was in the role of victim than when the collective had no control over the perpetrator and the participant was in the role of a neutral observer. Perpetrators received harsher punishments from victims when the collective had control over the perpetrator as compared to when the collective did not have control over the perpetrator. The opposite was true for neutral observers. Possible affective and cognitive explanations for these findings are explored.

Keywords: Punishment, Groups, Justice

JEL Classification: D74

Suggested Citation

Wolfe, Rebecca and Tenbrunsel, Ann E. and Darley, John M. and Diekmann, Kristina A., Collective Punishment: When is Our Group Responsible for Our Actions? (June 2004). IACM 17th Annual Conference Paper, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=609305 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.609305

Rebecca Wolfe (Contact Author)

Princeton University ( email )

22 Chambers Street
Princeton, NJ 08544-0708
United States

Ann E. Tenbrunsel

University of Notre Dame - Department of Management & Administration Sciences ( email )

Notre Dame, IN 46556-0399
United States
219-631-7402 (Phone)

John M. Darley

Princeton University ( email )

1-N-17 Green Hall
Princeton, NJ 08544
United States
609-258-3000 (Phone)

Kristina A. Diekmann

University of Utah - Department of Management ( email )

1645 E Campus Center Dr
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
United States
801-581-8524 (Phone)
801-581-7214 (Fax)

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
215
Abstract Views
2,281
Rank
257,119
PlumX Metrics