Beyond First-Hand Intergroup Empathy: How Do We Think ‘Our’ and ‘Their’ Emotional Experiences Are Perceived and Felt By Others?

Group membership influences empathy – people empathise less, fail to empathise, or even counter-empathise with outgroup members. We show that people also expect ingroup and outgroup members to perceive negative experiences across group lines as less negative, and to show less empathy and more schadenfreude. Group meta-perceptions moderate this effect.