The Communication of Pure Group-Based Anger Reduces Tendencies Toward Intergroup Conflict Because It Increases Out-Group Empathy

The communication of group-based anger in intergroup conflict is often associated with destructive conflict behavior. however,we show that communicating group-based anger toward the out-group can evoke empathy and thus reduce intergroup conflict. this is because it stresses the value of maintaining a positive long-term intergroup relationship,thereby increasing understanding for the situation (in contrast to the communication of the closely related emotion of contempt). three experiments demonstrate that the communication of group-based anger indeed reduces destructive conflict intentions compared with (a) a control condition (experiments 1-2),(b) the communication of group-based contempt (experiment 2),and (c) the communication of a combination of group-based anger and contempt (experiments 2-3). moreover,results from all three experiments reveal that empathy mediated the positive effect of communicating pure group-based anger. we discuss the implications of these findings for the theory and practice of communicating emotions in intergroup conflicts. © 2013 by the society for personality and social psychology,inc.