Judgments toward displays of national (dis)loyalty in members of nations other than one’s own: Universalistic and parochial perspectives

Abstract

National loyalty is viewed as a moral value and a crucial manifestation of national identification. Yet few studies have investigated how people judge (dis)loyalty among members of other (i.e., outgroup) nations. Investigating such judgments helps tease apart two ways of viewing loyalty—through a parochial or universalistic lens. We investigate symbolic expressions of (dis)loyalty within the context of US–China tensions (Study 1, N = 603 and N = 111), and concrete acts of (dis)loyalty within the context of Israel–Iran tensions (Study 2, N = 300; Study 3, N = 217). We expose differential judgments toward members of one’s own nation versus other nations, reflecting a parochial view of loyalty, which is strengthened by conservation values. At the same time, we show that loyalty is valued even in members of adversary nations, expressing a universalistic view of loyalty, especially when the interests of the ingroup are not involved.