Cognitive and neural bases of decision-making causing civilian casualties during intergroup conflict

Xiaochun Han, Shuai Zhou, Nardine Fahoum, Taoyu Wu, Tianyu Gao, Simone Shamay-Tsoory, Michele J. Gelfand, Xinhuai Wu () and Shihui Han ()
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Xiaochun Han: Peking University
Shuai Zhou: The 7th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital
Nardine Fahoum: University of Haifa
Taoyu Wu: Peking University
Tianyu Gao: Peking University
Simone Shamay-Tsoory: University of Haifa
Michele J. Gelfand: University of Maryland
Xinhuai Wu: The 7th Medical Center of PLA General Hospital
Shihui Han: Peking University

Nature Human Behaviour, 2021, vol. 5, issue 9, 1214-1225

Abstract: Abstract Civilian casualties occur during military attacks. Such ‘collateral damage’ is prohibited by international laws but increases with substantial consequences when intergroup conflict escalates. Here, we investigate cognitive and neural bases of decision-making processes resulting in civilian harm, using a task that simulates punishment decision-making during intergroup conflict. We test two groups of Chinese participants in a laboratory setting, and members of two ethnic groups (Jewish and Palestinian) in Israel. The results dissociate two psychological constructs, harm preference and harm avoidance, which respectively characterize punishment decision-making related to outgroup combatants and outgroup noncombatants during intergroup conflict. In particular, individuals show decreased avoidance of harming outgroup noncombatants when conflict escalates. Brain imaging (functional magnetic resonance imaging) reveals that decreased harm avoidance is predicted by inhibition of the left middle frontal activity during selection of punishment decisions. Our findings provide insight into the cognitive and neural bases of decision-making involving civilian harm during intergroup conflict.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01064-1

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