Study finds hurt plus anger creates lasting grudges by making offenders seem immoral
Mar 8th 2026
New research in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin shows that grudges form when hurt and anger occur together, because that emotional mix prompts people to judge offenders as immoral, which keeps negative feelings active over time.
- Researchers tested four studies with samples of 242, 694, 463, and 438 participants and replicated the main effect across designs.
- High levels of both hurt and anger together predicted stronger, longer lasting grudges while each emotion alone did not.
- Seeing the offender as immoral explained why the combination of hurt and anger led people to hold grudges.
- An experimental recall study supported a causal role for combined hurt and anger in increasing grudge holding.
- Authors say grudges can function as a self protective vigilance mechanism after betrayal.
- Limitations include reliance on recalled events, uncertain timing of emotions, and unclear cultural generalizability.