Shared dysphoric experiences activate identity fusion, but not forever

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Collective Trauma Studies
• Group Dynamics

Background:

• Identity fusion, a merging of self with a group or cause, predicts extreme behaviors.
• Previous research linked intense dysphoric experiences to group fusion.
• The impact of collective trauma on identity fusion over time remained unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in identity fusion before, during, and after collective traumatic experiences.
• To examine the role of dysphoric experiences in driving and maintaining identity fusion.

Main Methods:

• Six repeated cross-sectional surveys in Spain (2017-2022) assessed national identity fusion during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• An experiment manipulated the salience of the COVID-19 crisis to measure its effect on national fusion.
• Three repeated cross-sectional surveys in Ukraine assessed fusion with country and democracy before, during, and after the war's onset.

Main Results:

• National identity fusion increased during the COVID-19 pandemic and decreased as it subsided.
• The COVID-19 crisis heightened national fusion compared to neutral conditions.
• Fusion with country and democracy surged at the onset of the Ukraine war but declined as the conflict became chronic.

Conclusions:

• Dysphoric experiences, such as collective trauma, temporarily enhance identity fusion.
• These experiences act as a transient driver of fusion, not a factor for long-term maintenance.
• Identity fusion fluctuates with the intensity and chronicity of collective crises.