Perceptions of Collective Narratives Among Arab and Jewish Adolescents in Israel: A Decade of Intractable Conflict

Abstract

In this chapter, we will describe a model for research about perceptions of collective narratives. The model is directed towards identifying specific content, both cognitive and emotional, in the perceptions of collective narratives of national intractable conflicts. Moreover, the model makes it possible to empirically investigate collective narratives and identify possible changes that can occur over time. We will describe a longitudinal study that has employed this model and an empirical measure to examine perceptions of collective narratives in different historical and political contexts of the intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict among Jewish and Arab adolescents in Israel. The model examines the relations of the perceptions of "in" and "out" groups and focuses on the levels of the perception of the collective narrative using measures of legitimization, empathy, and anger towards the collective narratives of both groups. Thus, the model is proposed as a measure to explore intergroup relationships, one which is sensitive to changes in the level of perceived intractability of the conflict through different historical periods. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)