Too long to compensate? Time perceptions, emotions, and compensation for colonial conflicts

In the present article we analyze the role of perceptions of time and ingroup-focused compunction and anger on the desire to compensate the outgroup in relation to historical colonial conflicts. Furthermore, we analyze the relationships between the aforementioned variables and perceptions of the past as being violent and perceptions that compensation has been enough. By means of multiple group structural equation modeling using 1 Portuguese sample (N = 170) and 1 Dutch sample (N = 238), we were able to show that perceptions of the time passed between the negative events and the present day are negatively related to compensatory behavioral intentions. Furthermore, the belief that past compensation has been enough is negatively related to ingroup-focused anger and compunction. Anger (Portuguese sample only) and compunction are positively associated with intentions of compensation. The implications of our results for the field of intergroup relations are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)