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The Intensification of Hating: A Theory

Social Justice Research volume 20, pages 68–97 (2007)Cite this article

Hate, a simple word, is easily understood by young children. But as a concept, hate is vast, complex, and slippery. The study of hate is not limited to one discipline; it is studied throughout the humanities and social sciences. This paper, which presents a psychological theory of hating, argues that hate is an understudied psychological construct and has particular relevance to justice research. Hate can trigger injustice, and injustice has the capacity to trigger derogation, violence, and hate. Relying on four literatures—justice, psychology, psychoanalysis, and criminal justice—we present a theory of hating that describes the formation, perpetuation, and expression of this influential emotional state. The Intensification Theory of Hating describes hate as a dynamic process that moves from antecedents to emotions, cognitions, morals, and behaviors. Hate, we argue, is not only an emotion; it becomes systemic when interactions among its components unfold over time to intensify hate. We conclude by proposing research approaches and questions that could address hate in psychological and justice research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA

    Susan Opotow

  2. The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA

    Sara I. McClelland

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  1. Susan Opotow
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Correspondence to Susan Opotow.

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Submitted to David De Cremer and Kees van den Bos, “Justice and feelings: An emotional revolution”. Social Justice Research, December 11, 2006

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Opotow, S., McClelland, S.I. The Intensification of Hating: A Theory. Soc Just Res 20, 68–97 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-007-0033-0

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Key words

  • hate
  • justice
  • violence
  • morals
  • affect
  • criminal justice
  • psychoanalytic theory