Heartfelt Connections: Decoding the Interplay of Intergroup Threat and War Narratives on Empathy and Behavioral Intentions Toward Ukrainian Refugees

Bernat, Viktoria (2024) Heartfelt Connections: Decoding the Interplay of Intergroup Threat and War Narratives on Empathy and Behavioral Intentions Toward Ukrainian Refugees. Bachelor thesis, Psychology.

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Abstract

Previous research suggests that mediated communication, particularly through short clips conveying information about war, alongside perceived intergroup threat, significantly shapes both empathy levels and behavioral intentions (Górska et al., 2023). Therefore, our study aimed to investigate these effects concerning Ukrainian refugees. We engaged 225 Irish participants in an online experiment, inviting them to watch a clip portraying the lives of Ukrainian refugees. Subsequently, we assessed their levels of intergroup threat, empathy, and behavioral intentions. Utilizing a full-factorial ANCOVA, our analysis revealed that heightened threat perception (vs. low) had a negative relationship with both empathy and positive behavioral intentions toward Ukrainian refugees. Furthermore, exposure to war-related information (vs. control) positively influenced empathy and behavioral intentions. Interestingly, although the anticipated interaction effect between perceived intergroup threat levels and exposure conditions did not achieve statistical significance on empathy, a significant interaction effect was observed for behavioral intentions. Participants with low levels of intergroup threat displayed high positive behavioral intentions in both experimental conditions, while those with high scores on perceived intergroup threat demonstrated increased willingness to engage in positive behavioral intentions when primed with information on the war, as opposed to the control condition. Recognizing this complex interplay underscores the importance of targeted interventions for activists and policymakers shaping attitudes and behaviors towards Ukrainian refugees.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor)
Supervisor name:	Borinca, I.
Degree programme:	Psychology
Differentiation route:	None [Bachelor Psychology]
Date Deposited:	06 Feb 2024 15:41
Last Modified:	06 Feb 2024 15:41
URI:	http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3083

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