When groups feel under threat, they misjudge each other's motives.

What is it about?

When groups are in conflict, they often see themselves as motivated by good intentions while viewing the other side as selfish or hostile. Our research shows that this bias grows stronger when people feel threatened. This helps explain why political, cultural, and international conflicts are so hard to resolve. Understanding how threat shapes our judgments may point to better ways of reducing hostility and building dialogue.

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Photo by Mert Kahveci on Unsplash

Photo by Mert Kahveci on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Polarization between groups is increasing — politically, culturally, and internationally. These divides are reinforced by the stories we tell about ourselves and others. Our research shows that feeling threatened makes people see their own group more positively, and the other side more negatively. Understanding this effect is important for finding ways to reduce hostility and improve dialogue between groups.