Group identification moderates the effect of historical trauma availability on historical trauma symptoms and conspiracy beliefs

Abstract

Historical trauma may cast a shadow over the lives of subsequent generations of victimised groups. We examine the buffering role of victimised group identification on the association between the cognitive availability of historical trauma, historical trauma symptoms, and conspiracy beliefs. Two studies conducted in Poland (Study 1: Ukrainian minority, N = 92; Study 2: ethnic Poles; N = 227) revealed that among highly identified group members (compared to those with low levels of group identification), the relation between the cognitive availability of historical trauma and historical trauma symptoms was weaker. Study 2 additionally showed that the consequences of historical trauma are detectable among members of historically victimised groups, regardless of their own family history of victimisation, and that the cognitive availability of historical trauma correlates positively with conspiracy beliefs.