Suchergebnisse

The current dissertation aims to shed light on in-between groups. The term "in-between groups" is used in the present thesis to denote a particular social category that can emerge in contexts where individuals straddle membership in two (or more) social groups simultaneously (e.g., immigrant communities, dual-gender identifiers). In three chapters, I aimed to understand how in-between group members navigate their relations with relevant others (i.e., members of the groups they belong to) and how relevant others perceive them. All chapters drew theoretical arguments and predictions based on the social identity approach, that is, social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) and self-categorization theory (Turner et al., 1987).

The current dissertation aims to shed light on in-between groups. The term "in-between groups" is used in the present thesis to denote a particular social category that can emerge in contexts where individuals straddle membership in two (or more) social groups simultaneously (e.g., immigrant communities, dual-gender identifiers). In three chapters, I aimed to understand how in-between group members navigate their relations with relevant others (i.e., members of the groups they belong to) and how relevant others perceive them. All chapters drew theoretical arguments and predictions based on the social identity approach, that is, social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) and self-categorization theory (Turner et al., 1987).

Seventy years have passed since the Holocaust, but this cataclysmic event continues to reverberate in the present. In this research, we examine attributions about the causes of the Holocaust and the influence of such attributions on intergroup relations. Three representative surveys were conducted among Germans, Poles, and Israeli Jews to examine inter‐ and intragroup variations in attributions for the Holocaust and how these attributions influence intergroup attitudes. Results indicated that Germans made more external than internal attributions and were especially low in attributing an evil essence to their ancestors. Israelis and Poles mainly endorsed the obedient essence attribution and were lowest on attribution to coercion. These attributions, however, were related to attitudes towards contemporary Germany primarily among Israeli Jews. The more they endorsed situationist explanations, and the less they endorsed the evil essence explanation, the more positive their attitude to Germany. Among Germans, attributions were related to a higher motivation for historical closure, except for the obedience attribution that was related to low desire for closure. Israelis exhibited a low desire for historical closure especially when attribution for evil essence was high. These findings suggest that lay perceptions of history are essential to understanding contemporary intergroup processes.