Peace and Conflict: Journal of Peace Psychology, Vol 32(3), Aug 2026, 253-263; doi:10.1037/pac0000830
Exclusive victimhood beliefs involve the perception that the ingroup suffers significantly more than the outgroup, whereas inclusive victimhood beliefs recognize mutual adversity. Previous research suggests inclusive victimhood beliefs may foster support for conciliatory policies, but research on their antecedents is scarce. To bridge this gap, we built on studies demonstrating the benefits of emotion regulation in promoting empathy toward outgroup members and supporting reconciliation policies in ongoing conflicts. We tested associations between emotion regulation, empathy, and victimhood beliefs in the context of the Middle East conflict. Specifically, we explored emotion regulation styles, anchored in self-determination theory that may facilitate perceptions of inclusive victimhood. Study 1 (N = 437; Israeli adults) supported the hypothesis that integrative emotion regulation (IER; taking interest in one’s negative emotions) would predict inclusive victimhood beliefs through empathy for outgroup members. Study 2 (N = 406) tested whether these associations held when fear related to the conflict was elicited. As in Study 1, we measured IER, empathy, and inclusive victimhood beliefs and compared a fear condition to a neutral control condition (N = 471; Israeli adults). Our findings replicated the positive relations between IER, empathy, and inclusive victimhood regardless of emotion elicitation. This study deepens the understanding of emotional processes in reconciliation and provides insights for conflict resolution interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)