How shared suffering bonded Britons witnessing the Queen's funeral

Claire White, Danielle Morales, Dimitris Xygalatas, Mathilde Hernu, Anna Mathiassen, Andrew Ainsworth, Meara Geraty, Nisa Bayindir, Brooke Robinson, Harvey Whitehouse

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Abstract

Previous research suggests that sharing emotionally intense experiences with others, for example by undergoing dysphoric collective rituals together, can lead to "identity fusion," a visceral feeling of oneness that predicts group cohesion and self-sacrifice for the group. In this pre-registered research, we provide the first quantitative investigation of identity fusion following participation in a national funeral, surveying 1632 members of the British public. As predicted, individuals reporting intense sadness during Queen Elizabeth II's funeral exhibited higher levels of identity fusion and pro-group commitment, as evidenced by generosity pledges to a British Monarchist charity. Also consistent with our hypotheses, feelings of unity in grief and emotional sharedness during the event mediated the relationship between sadness intensity and pro-group commitment. These findings shed light on importance of collective rituals in fostering group cohesion, cooperation, and the dynamics of shared emotional experiences within communities.
Original languageEnglish
Article number16620
Number of pages8
JournalScientific Reports
Volume14
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 18 Jul 2024

Keywords

  • Prosociality
  • Ritual
  • Social Bonding
  • Identity Fusion
  • Funeral
  • British Public
  • Monarchy
  • Humans
  • Ceremonial Behavior
  • Emotions
  • Grief
  • Funeral Rites
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Middle Aged
  • Female
  • Male
  • Young Adult
  • United Kingdom
  • Sadness

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