Compensatory responses to existential uncertainty: Self-affirmation can buffer against non-normative collective action intentions in Iraq

Exposure to self-related uncertainty has been shown to cause defensiveness in the form of embracing extreme political attitudes and intergroup bias. However, so far it is unclear whether this mechanism extends to behavioral intentions, and thus constitutes a motivating factor for engagement in non-normative collective action. Here, this question is examined in Iraq in 2020 after a period of intense regional instability and protests. In a preregistered randomized controlled trial across diverse locations (N=279), participants’ self-integrity was threatened by mortality salience. They responded by reporting stronger intentions to engage in collective action, especially for non-normative forms including the use of violence; however, providing alternative self-affirmation opportunities partially mitigated this effect. Secondary analyses suggest the impact of both manipulations to be moderated by low emotional stability, disagreeableness, and high identification with existing social networks. This study extends self-affirmation theory by testing it in a conflict-affected setting and on specific behavioral intentions, discussing practical implications for psychological field interventions in post-conflict resolution.