Emotional Sources of Intergroup Atrocities

In this chapter, the authors put forth the proposition that group-based emotions reside at the core of extreme intergroup violence. That is, genocide is not cold; it is cruelly heartfelt. Perpetrator groups act because of specific (perceived or real) threat-induced, group-based emotions, which motivate specific destructive action tendencies. The authors focus on a genocidal triad of group-based emotions that stem from threat appraisals: (1) collective hate, which stems from the belief that an out-group is evil by nature; (2) collective angst, which stems from existential concern for the in-group’s future vitality; and (3) collective nostalgia, which stems from a sense that pressures are forcing unwanted change to the in-group. The authors contend that this triad of emotions propels group members toward engagement in cruel and unusual behavior. Research is reviewed to substantiate this proposition.