Diminishing Vertical Distance: Power and Social Status as Barriers to Intergroup Reconciliation

This chapter argues that social emotions derived from power and perceived social status generate a skewed perception of the out-group, resulting in residual negative affect and the creation of a vertical distance, which in turn hinders intergroup reconciliation. Literature within social psychology that describes intergroup power as outcome control, as well as models of intergroup emotions that establish residual negative affect, are reviewed. The literature on perceptions of out-groups that create an immutable vertical distance are then considered. Finally, some possible solutions and policy implications are discussed.