Children of both perpetrators and survivors of genocide display the same ingroup biases of their parents, even though they did not experience the event themselves. This may explain why conflicts can last over generations. The study also suggests it is difficult for survivors and perpetrators to let go of intergroup biases following a tragedy.
Researchers explore why some people will ignore their personal beliefs and go along with the more extreme beliefs of a crowd. They report acting against personal beliefs and adopting a fused identity becomes an attractive solution, especially if the reward is great.
Even when people adjust their view as a result of social influence, their brain activity shows traces of prior disagreements.