Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue (한국심리학회지 : 문화 및 사회문제)

Korean Psychological Association of Culture and Social Issues (한국문화및사회문제심리학회)
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Ingroup's Apology For Past Wrongdoing Can Increase Outgroup Dehumanization

과거 잘못에 대한 집단 간 사과의 역설적 효과: 외집단 비인간화를 중심으로

  • Hyeon Jeong Kim (Department of Psychology, Chungbuk National University) ;
  • Sang Hee Park (Department of Psychology, Chungbuk National University)
  • Received : 2018.11.26
  • Accepted : 2019.02.22
  • Published : 2019.02.28
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Abstract

Apologies are used with increasing frequency for mending damaged relations between groups after intergroup conflict. Past research revealed that members of a perpetrator group may engage in (animalistic) dehumanization of victim group members to cope with guilt and responsibility associated with the ingroup's past wrongdoing. We hypothesized that ingroup's apology would relieve perpetrator group members of the moral threat, and therefore would make them perceive more humanness in the victim group members. The study was conducted in the context of South Korea's alleged atrocities against Vietnamese civilians during its military involvement in the Vietnam War. Korean participants read an article on the incidents with Korean government's issuance of an official apology manipulated, and reported their thoughts on the incidents and perceptions of Vietnamese people including their humanness. Contrary to our prediction, apology further enhanced dehumanization of Vietnamese people, even while it also decreased dehumanization through heightened feelings of relief. This study documents a seemingly ironic effect of intergroup apology, and calls for a more careful examination of the consequences of apology before recommending it as a viable strategy for alleviating intergroup tensions.

사과는 집단 간 갈등 후 집단의 손상된 관계를 개선하기 위해 빈번히 사용된다. 과거 연구들은 가해 집단의 구성원들이 내집단의 가해 사실과 연관된 죄책감과 책임감에 대처하기 위해 피해자 집단 구성원들을 비인간화한다는 것을 밝혔다. 본 연구에서는 피해 집단에 사과를 했을 때 가해 집단 구성원이 과거 가해사실로 인해 느끼는 도덕적 위협이 줄어들고 그러므로 피해 집단 구성원에 대한 비인간화도 줄어들 것이라는 가설을 세웠다. 본 연구는 과거 한국군의 베트남전 참전 당시의 베트남 민간인 학살 사건의 맥락을 사용하여 실행되었다. 한국인 참가자들은 한국 정부의 공식적인 사과 여부가 조작된 기사를 읽고 사건에 대한 생각과 베트남 사람들에 대한 비인간화 등 베트남 사람들을 어떻게 생각하는지에 대해 보고했다. 연구 결과, 사과가 안도감을 높임으로서 비인간화의 감소를 일으키는 매개 효과가 관찰되었지만, 전체적으로는 가설과 반대로 사과가 오히려 베트남 사람들에 대한 비인간화를 강화시켰다. 본 연구는 집단 간 사과의 역설적인 효과를 밝혀냈으며 집단 간 긴장을 누그러뜨리기 위한 전략으로써 사과를 고려하기 전에 사과의 결과에 대한 세밀한 검증이 필요하다는 사실을 밝혔다는 점에서 의의가 있다.

Keywords

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