When outgroup help backfires: crisis, prejudice, and trust in post-conflict societies

What is it about?

Receiving help from a former enemy might seem like a step toward peace, but in post-conflict societies the reality is more complicated. This research examined how Kosovan Albanians reacted when Serbia, their former opponent, offered COVID-19 test kits during the pandemic. Across two studies with over 800 participants, we found a striking pattern: people with low prejudice actually showed more negative emotions, less trust, and greater perceptions of Serbian dominance after receiving the help than when no help was offered. People with high prejudice showed these negative reactions regardless, suggesting their views were largely fixed. The key mechanism was perceived outgroup dominance: even less biased individuals interpreted the help as a strategic attempt to control or subordinate them, which in turn drove more negative emotions toward the outgroup.

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Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash

Photo by Jan Kopřiva on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This research challenges the intuitive idea that humanitarian gestures automatically improve relations between former adversaries. In post-conflict societies, where histories of violence and unresolved grievances run deep, even well-intentioned acts of help can be misread as threats. Conducted in Kosovo during an active global crisis, the findings show that crises do not reset intergroup dynamics but can instead reactivate old suspicions. For policymakers and peacebuilders, this is a crucial warning: intergroup support initiatives in post-conflict contexts need to be accompanied by trust-building measures and clear communication about intentions, particularly when the helping party has not fully acknowledged past wrongdoing.