People as Intuitive Retaliators

Spontaneous and Deliberate Reactions to Observed Retaliation

Bibliographic Data

ID21209422
AuthorsMario Gollwitzer (0000-0003-4310-4793, Philipps University of Marburg, corresponding author), Judith Braun (0000-0002-9469-5792, Philipps University of Marburg), Friederike Funk (0000-0002-6514-3235, University of Cologne), Philipp Süssenbach (Philipps University of Marburg)
Year2016
Volume7
Issue6
Pages521-529
Publication date2016-08-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Psychological and Personality Science (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1948-5506 • E-ISSN: 1948-5514
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1948550616644300
OpenAlexW2341968032
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited27

Two studies explore whether people intuitively approve or rather disapprove of a victim personally retaliating against an offender. Participants in Study 1 were introduced to the case of Ameneh Bahrami, an Iranian woman who had been blinded by a jealous suitor and who was given the opportunity to blind her perpetrator in return. Results show that participants who were instructed to complete a secondary task (cognitive load condition) reacted most positively to Ameneh Bahrami’s decision to retaliate. Participants in Study 2 read vignettes about fictitious offenses. Participants low in need for cognition approved more of the victim retaliating against the offender when they adopted an intuitive (vs. a reflective) mind-set. Together, these findings demonstrate that people intuitively approve of retaliation carried out by victims

Cognition · Psychiatry · Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation · Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Social Psychology

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