Social Categorization - Fear

The 9/11 attacks were a tragic event that changed the course of freedom, by this I mean that individuals nowadays may still live with the fear of sudden re-occurrence of similar events. In social context, this raises the question of how individuals in different parts of the world (i.e. America, Western Europe, Arabic countries) have been affected emotionally as well as behaviourally. Individuals that categorize the victims of 9/11 as in-group members normally tend to feel more anxious and have more intensive emotions towards “terrorist attacks”. The graph above explains how an Identity that an individual/ group embrace affects their emotions as well as behavioural tendencies and actions. Previous support prolonged that appraisals of events in carefully designed scenarios affect individuals and groups emotions and behaviour. What is particularly important is the power of social endorsement and how it creates a group-based emotion even in lack of direct concern/impact.
With the occurrence of 9/11 attacks, an ecological validation of (social) identity and changes in emotions and behaviour has been derived by the study of Dumont et al, 3003. The aim of this study was whether social categorization of individuals affected their emotion and behavioural tendencies with focus on fear. The reason why a particular focus was put on Fear was because experimenters could manipulate the emotions regarding fear (participants subjected as in-groups or out-groups of victims). Brief definitions of three negative emotions that have been used in this study are below:

(Sadness, Anger and Fear)

Sadness- this emotion is triggered when events appear unexpected and due to certainty of losses and harmfulness of the events.

Anger- when a situation is appraised as unfair, and when one feels strong rather than weak.

Fear- concerns the uncontrollability and the uncertainty regarding one’s future outcome.

Both Anger and Sadness can be experienced by many nationalities when it comes to 9/11 attacks, however fear can be experienced mainly by those who are directly threatened. Experimenters manipulated the categorisation of the participants (Westerners and Arabs vs. Europeans and Americans) in two experiments that they conducted. Experiment 1 as was predicted, projected that individuals reported more fear when they categorized victims as in-group members even in real life events. Similar results were obtained from Experiment 2, focusing in identity endorsement and its affect in behavior. Results of this study support appraisal theory, the theory proposed by E.R. Smith as well as projects that Social Identity affects ones behavior and emotions not only in carefully designed scenarios but also in real life events.


Dumont, M., Yzerbyt, V., Wigboldus, D., & Gordijn, E.H. (2003). Social categorization and fear reactions to the September 11th terrorist attacks. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 29 (12), 1509-1520.