NSF/SBE-BSF: How Past Collective Trauma of Suffering and Perpetrating Intergroup Violence Can Facilitate or Prevent Intergroup Violence in the Present

群体间冲突的最明显特征也是最难解决的问题：痛苦和暴力行为。群体间暴力给受害者和施暴者都造成了集体创伤，尽管方式不同。越来越多的研究领域将这种过去的创伤经历确定为解决冲突的障碍。对过去创伤的集体记忆牵连到另一个群体，可能在这些事件发生后很久促进和升级与该群体的冲突。了解这些问题可能有助于社会在社会内部冲突群体之间以及国家之间发展更和平的互动。美国的调查人员沿着以色列的调查人员测试了一种综合的理论方法，这种方法将集体创伤和未来的群体间暴力联系起来。一种预测是，受害者和延续者都可以以类似的方式看待他们群体的集体创伤：要么是一种威胁，造成超出自己处理能力的要求;要么是一种挑战，要求很高，但可以克服，并产生积极的结果。心血管研究表明，与威胁反应相比，挑战反应涉及更健康的生理状态和更适应的行为。在集体创伤的情况下，压力反应也可能产生巨大的社会影响-通过引起导致所有相关冲突升级的防御动机。在他们的项目中，研究人员测试了一个假设，即将创伤视为威胁与挑战的决定因素是群体内的赞美，或者人们对自己群体的尊重以及将其视为优于其他群体的上级倾向。通过测试这些假设，这项研究可以产生可以改善与大规模冲突有关的社会结果的知识。此外，该项目还可以为制定循证干预措施提供信息，这些措施可以处理集体创伤和由此产生的暴力行为。目的之一是了解集体创伤感知如何在升级或降级冲突的方式上有所不同。在施暴者中，那些美化其群体的人应将其群体实施暴力的集体创伤视为对群体形象的威胁，而那些不美化其群体的人应将其视为一种挑战。在受害者中，那些颂扬其群体的人应将其群体遭受暴力的集体创伤视为对该群体生存的威胁，而其他人则应将其视为一种挑战和增长潜力。第二个目标是探索创伤的历史表征如何影响动机和行动意图。从威胁的角度对过去创伤的认知表述应该使人们具有防御性，并采取措施，最终促进未来的暴力。用挑战的方式来表现过去的创伤，应该会减少防御行为，最终防止未来的暴力。 第三个目的是测试具有不同创伤历史表征的个体是否具有反映威胁与挑战应激反应的心血管反应。第四个目标是确定实验操作是否可以将威胁表征转变为挑战表征。为了测试这些目标，研究人员使用了多种方法，包括自我报告测量和阻抗心动图。研究参与者来自经历过集体创伤的多个国家。这项研究的国际部分得到了国际科学与工程办公室（OISE）的共同资助。

The most defining feature of conflict between groups is also the most challenging to address: the suffering and perpetration of violence. Intergroup violence inflicts collective trauma for both victims and perpetrators, albeit in different ways. A growing field of research identifies such past experiences of trauma as an obstacle to conflict resolution. The collective memory of past trauma that implicates another group can facilitate and escalate conflict with that group long after those events. Understanding such issues may help society develop more peaceful interactions between groups in conflict within a society as well as between nations. Investigators in the U.S. along with investigators in Israel test a comprehensive theoretical approach that links collective trauma and future intergroup violence. One prediction is that both victims and perpetuators can perceive their group's collective trauma in similar ways: as either a threat, creating demands which outstrip one's ability to handle it; or as a challenge, strongly demanding but which can be overcome and result in positive outcomes. Cardiovascular research suggests that challenge responses involve healthier physiological states and more adaptive behavior than do threat responses. In the case of collective trauma, the stress response may have tremendous societal impact as well--by causing defense motivations that result in conflict escalation for all involved. In their project the investigators test the hypothesis that the determining factor in perceiving trauma as threat versus challenge is in-group glorification, or people's deference to their own group and tendency to view it as superior to other groups. By testing these hypotheses, this research can generate knowledge that could improve societal outcomes related to large-scale conflict. In addition, the project may inform efforts to develop evidence-based interventions that deal with collective trauma and the violence that stems from it.Eight studies address four primary objectives. One aim is to understand how collective trauma perceptions can differ in ways that escalate or deescalate conflict. Among perpetrators, those who glorify their group should see their group's collective trauma of perpetrating violence as a threat to the group's image, whereas those who do not glorify their group should see it as a challenge. Among victims, those who glorify their group should see their group's collective trauma of suffering violence as a threat to the group's existence, whereas others should see it as a challenge and potential for growth. The second aim is exploring how historical representations of trauma affect motivation and intention to act. Cognitive representations of past trauma in terms of threat should make people defensive and take measures that ultimately facilitate future violence. Representing past trauma in terms of challenge should reduce defensive behavior and ultimately prevent future violence. The third aim is testing whether individuals with different historical representations of trauma have cardiovascular responses that reflect threat versus challenge stress responses. The fourth aim is determining whether experimental manipulations can shift threat representations into becoming challenge representations. To test these aims, the investigators use multiple methods, including self-report measures and impedance cardiography. Research participants are from multiple countries that have experienced collective trauma. The international component of this research was supported by co-funding from the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE).