Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: In January 2002 national survey data, we find a strong relationship between Americans’ desires to avenge 9/11 and their bellicosity toward Iraq, even after controlling for the perceived terrorist threat, left-right ideology, and approval of U.S. political leaders. Prior beliefs about Iraq could have prompted suspicions of Iraqi complicity. In addition, appraisal tendency research suggests that anger and desires for revenge could have heightened out-group antipathy, displaced blaming, and optimistic assessment of war risks. We test the first of these processes and find evidence that anti-Arab and anti-Muslim antipathy partially mediated the vengeance’s effect on bellicosity. Vengeance, in turn, mediated the effects of retributiveness (proxied by right-wing authoritarianism) and patriotism on public bellicosity. While perceptions of the Iraqi threat probably assumed greater importance over the course of the following year, additional survey data shows that even as war approached, most supporters acknowledged it would satisfy a desire for revenge.

Publication Type: Conference Paper/Unpublished Manuscript
Abstract: Desires for revenge against the 9/11 perpetrators heightened U.S. public support for war against Iraq in January 2002, controlling for left-right ideology, the rally-round-the-flag effect, and the perceived terrorist threat. Four explanations could account for these findings: prior enemy images of Saddam heightening suspicions of Iraqi complicity in the attacks, as well as anger’s tendency to heighten indiscriminate blame, prejudice, and self-confidence. We test for the prejudice effect and find evidence that vengeance heightened support for attacking Iraq in part by increasing anti-Arab prejudice. Vengefulness also partly mediated the effects of retributiveness (proxied by right-wing authoritarianism) on support for war, and largely mediated the effects of patriotism (as intergroup emotion theory would predict). Additional data shows that even as war approached, most supporters acknowledged it would satisfy a desire to avenge 9/11.