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Study Reveals Emotions Fuel Grudge Holding Behavior

3/8/2026

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Story summary
  • Holding a grudge is driven by a combination of hurt feelings and anger.
  • This emotional mix leads victims to view offenders as immoral and sustains grudges as protection against future harm.
  • The study included four experiments where participants recalled past offenses, showing high levels of both emotions predict grudge holding.
  • Limitations include reliance on memory and an unclear timeline; researchers call for studies on cultural differences.