Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, Vol 31(4), Nov 2025, 365-375; doi:10.1037/pac0000788
A survey experiment was carried out in a field setting among frontline and middle-rank Colombian Army Soldiers (N = 920) to examine the effects of civilians’ political ideology and opinions toward the political reintegration of former ex-guerrilla members on soldiers’ willingness to protect and positive emotional regard toward them. The results indicate that soldiers are less willing to protect left-wing civilians (outgroup) compared to right-wing civilians (ingroup), a tendency that is particularly pronounced when civilians oppose the political reintegration of ex-guerrilla members. Emotions mediated the effect of civilians’ political ideology on soldiers’ willingness to protect them, and this mediating effect was moderated by civilians’ attitudes toward rebel reintegration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)