Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 8, 2026

The Joint Effect of Social Comparison and Social Distance on Evaluation of Intertemporal Choice Outcomes in Event-related Potential Studies
Published on: August 25, 2023
Advantaged group's emotional reactions to intergroup inequality: the dynamics of pride, guilt, and sympathy
Nicole Syringa Harth1, Thomas Kessler, Colin Wayne Leach
1Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany. n.harth@uni-jena.de
Abstract:
Three studies establish intergroup inequality to investigate how it is emotionally experienced by the advantaged. Studies 1 and 2 examine psychology students' emotional experience of their unequal job situation with worse-off pedagogy students. When inequality is ingroup focused and legitimate, participants experience more pride. However, when inequality is ingroup focused and illegitimate, participants experience more guilt. Sympathy is increased when inequality is outgroup focused and illegitimate. These emotions have particular effects on behavioral tendencies. In Study 2 group-based pride predicts greater ingroup favoritism in a resource distribution task, whereas group-based sympathy predicts less ingroup favoritism. Study 3 replicates these findings in the context of students' willingness to let young immigrants take part in a university sport. Pride predicts less willingness to let immigrants take part whereas sympathy predicts greater willingness. Guilt is a weak predictor of behavioral tendencies in all studies. This shows the specificity of emotions experienced about intergroup inequality.
Related Concept Videos
In- and Out-Groups
Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
Impact of Groups on Groups
Stereotype Content Model
Motivational Bias
