Kassem, N., Nir, N., Perry, A., & Halperin, E. . (2025).
Intergroug Emotions in Intergroup Conflicts: Power Disparities Perspective.
The Handbook of Social and Political Conflict, 31-45. Wiley Blackwell.
Abstract
Intergroup emotions play an integral part in conflicts, as they shape both intragroup and intergroup behaviors. These emotions mobilize societies in favor of either war or peace (Cohen-Chen et al., 2014b; Halperin et al., 2011). Lines of research have demonstrated that discrete emotions have been associated with specific outcomes of war/peace processes (Gayer et al., 2009; Halperin et al., 2013; Spanovic et al., 2010). Based on the valence of the emotion, and later on the valence of the outcome associated with it (Cohen-Chen et al., 2020), emotions were divided into constructive and destructive emotions, regardless of the power status of the group, which remains an understudied factor. For example, anger has been considered a destructive emotion motivating violence, whereas empathy had been seen as a constructive emotion mobilizing support for peace (Cheung-Blunden & Blunden, 2008; Maoz & McCauley, 2005). In this chapter, we challenge the oversimplistic approach by offering a novel framework that incorporates group power status in the categorization of the instrumentality of emotions.
Previous literature shows that differing realities in asymmetrical conflict also influence group goals and interests (Leshem & Halperin, 2020). Both high- and low-power groups aim to end war and bloodshed, but power dynamics lead the high-power group to prioritize harmonious relationships and maintain the status quo and, thus, may oppose compromises. This approach safeguards privileges and minimizes resistance. Conversely, the disadvantaged group prioritizes justice, having endured unequal circumstances and seeking to change the status quo by their own means, such as collective action.
The main implication of the fact that high- and low-power groups in conflicts have different goals and aspirations is that, for each group, different emotions play different roles in promoting these goals and aspirations, and consequently, in mobilizing them toward war or peace. To address that complexity, we propose a novel theoretical framework in which these desirable goals have underlying emotions that could be categorized into three units: constructive, destructive, and differential emotions. This model serves as the foundation to develop adjusted intervention tools that take into account the group power status, thus better tackling inequality and fostering peace and social justice among groups in asymmetrical conflicts. For example, by considering the differential effect of anger depending on the power status of the group, intervention tools can be developed to help attain social equality by facilitating concessions among the advantaged and by fostering a quest for equality attainment among the disadvantaged.
Gordon-Hecker, T., Choshen-Hillel, S., Ben-Simon, E., Walker, M. P., Perry, A., & Gileles-Hillel, A. . (2025).
Restless nights, cold hearts: Poor sleep causally blunts empathy
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International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology,
25(1), 100548. Retrieved from
Publisher's VersionAbstract
Poor sleep is pervasive in modern society. Poor sleep is associated with major physical and mental health consequences, as well as with impaired cognitive function. Less is known about the relationship between sleep and emotional and interpersonal behavior. In this work, we investigate whether poor sleep impairs empathy, an important building block of human interaction and prosocial behavior. We aimed to capture the effects of poor sleep on the various aspects of empathy: trait and state, affect and cognition.
Study 1 (n = 155) assessed daily habitual sleep over several days, and global sleep quality in the past month. Participants who reported worse sleep quality exhibited lower empathic caring and perspective-taking traits. Study 2 (n = 347) induced a one-night disruption of sleep continuity to test a causal relationship between sleep and empathy. Participants in the sleep disrupted condition had to briefly wake up five times over the night, whereas the sleep-rested controls slept normally. In the next morning, participants’ empathy and prosocial intentions were assessed. Participants in the sleep disruption condition exhibited lower empathic sensitivity and less prosocial decision-making than sleep-rested controls.
The main contribution of this work is in providing a robust demonstration of the multi-faceted detrimental effects of poor sleep on trait and state empathy. Our findings demonstrate that poor sleep causally impairs empathic response to the suffering of others. These findings highlight the need for greater public attention to adequate sleep, which may impact empathy on a societal level.
Lehmann, M., Genzer, S., Kassem, N., Van Tongeren, D. R., & Perry, A. . (2025).
Intellectual Humility Predicts Empathic Accuracy and Empathic Resilience
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Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. Retrieved from
Publisher's VersionAbstractThree preregistered studies (N = 533) investigated the relationship between intellectual humility (IH) and cognitive and emotional empathy. Study 1 (n = 212) revealed a positive association between IH and empathic accuracy (EA), especially toward the outgroup. Study 2 (n = 112) replicated the significant association between IH and EA. Study 3 (n = 209) employed a manipulation to enhance IH to demonstrate causality. We found evidence for an indirect effect, wherein the manipulation increased state IH, which was associated with greater EA. A mini meta-analysis revealed that, on average, individuals with higher levels of IH exhibit increased EA, showing a greater understanding of others’ emotional states. Moreover, IH predicts empathic resilience—buffering against personal distress while maintaining or increasing empathic concern for others. These findings highlight the positive influence of IH on empathy, emphasizing its potential for fostering deeper connections and better understanding in social interactions.