Comparative Psychological Content Analysis of Collective Victimhood in Hungarian National Narratives Among Emigrant and Non-Emigrant Groups

Judith Gabriella Kengyel; Tibor Pólya

doi:10.61177/HISZ.2023.14.2.10

Authors

Judith Gabriella Kengyel https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8712-0379 (unauthenticated)
Tibor Pólya https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3801-9992 (unauthenticated)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.61177/HISZ.2023.14.2.10

Keywords:

narrative psychology, collective victim consciousness, emigration, agency

Abstract

Present research aims to identify narrative markers of victimization comparing narratives of emigrant Hungarians in the UK and non-emigrant Hungarians. 121 interviews were collected and analyzed via automatic content analysis software (NarrCat). 54 non-emigrant Hungarians and 67 emigrant Hungarians participated in our sample (average age: 45.65, 71,5% female). Our research has proven that victimization has narrative markers (low agency and psychological perspective taking and increased amount of negative evaluation) that can be identified in narratives related to individual path and national history. MANOVA analysis showed that more narrative markers of victimization can be found in the narratives of non-emigrants while more agency is observable in the narratives of emigrants. The result of narrative analysis was underlined by the fact that emigration also had significant effect on perceived importance of past victimization. Our conclusion suggests that differences can be observed in the construction of narratives and consequently in the interpretation of perceived collective victim consciousness of emigrant and non-emigrant groups.

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