The tragedies that bind us: shared memories, identity fusion, and moral concern among Balinese Hindus following the 2002 Bali bombings

Journal article

‘Identity fusion’, a powerful form of social cohesion capable of motivating extreme pro-group action, can result from the sharing of personally-transformative memories of a dysphoric event with other group members. However, it is not known whether such experiences need to be shared directly or if indirect sharing via eye-witness accounts would be equally effective. In this study, we examine the impact of the 2002 Bali Bombings, a powerful dysphoric event, on group cohesion and morality among Balinese Hindus. We hypothesized that being co-present would predict stronger fusion with ingroups compared with vicariously shared experiences, and that fusion scores are more strongly associated with select moral domains compared with social identification. Using a questionnaire, data was collected in person from 340 Hindus in Bali. Our findings confirm that directly experiencing this dysphoric event is associated with higher levels of fusion, especially with others who were co-present, mediated by the experience’s transformative impact and recall for those present. The study provides new insight into the longterm psychological impacts of terrorist atrocities and their wider consequences for societal cohesion.

Authors: Revach, D; Kavanagh, C; Muzzulini, B; Putra, IE; Erikha, F

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Journal: Group Processes and Intergroup Relations
• Publication date: 2026-04-07
• Acceptance date: 2025-10-02
• DOI: 10.1177/13684302261419396
• EISSN: 1461-7188
• ISSN: 1368-4302
• Language: English
• Keywords: memory; identity fusion; social identification; dysphoric experience; morality