Grievance fuels aggressive intergroup inclinations and justification of political violence through hatred rather than anger

Grievance-the feeling of being or having been collectively wronged by an outgroup-has gained attention in majority groups facing perceived status threats or norm transgressions. Although grievance can elicit negative emotions, its role in shaping violence-related tendencies remains unclear. This research examines the emotional pathways linking grievance to violence justification and aggressive intergroup inclinations among majority group members. Across three studies (correlational, field-based with active protesters and experimental) within the Catalonia-Spanish State conflict, we explore whether grievance is associated with anger, hatred (Studies 1-3), humiliation and contempt (Study 3), in relation to violence and aggression-related tendencies. Study 1 (N = 365) showed that grievance was associated with aggressive outcomes, and Study 2 (N = 185) reaffirmed these findings, with hatred showing more consistent associations than anger. Study 3 (N = 377) provided experimental evidence that grievance increases negative emotional responses, particularly hatred, which in turn led to violence justification and aggressive inclinations. Indirect associations through other emotions were weak or non-significant. Results highlight the role of multiple emotional pathways through which grievance may relate to violence-related responses among majority groups in polarized intergroup conflicts, with hatred emerging as a consistent emotional pathway.