Intergroup relations in settler societies have been defined by historical conflict over territorial ownership between indigenous peoples and settler majorities. However, the indigenous groups were there first, and first arrival is an important principle for assigning ownership to a group. In two studies among Australians of Anglo-Celtic origin (N = 322 and N = 475), we argued and found that the general belief in entitlements for first comers (i.e. autochthony) is related to more support for reparations in terms of apology and instrumental compensation for Aborigines, as well as to less topic avoidance. We further proposed that the group-based emotions of collective guilt, moral shame and image shame account for these associations. We found that majority members who endorsed autochthony belief experienced more guilt (Study 1 and 2), moral shame (Study2) and image shame (Study 2). In turn, guilt and moral shame were related to more support for reparations and less topic avoidance, whereas image shame was related to more topic avoidance, thereby partially suppressing the negative association between autochthony belief and topic avoidance. Our research points at the importance of considering autochthony belief and different types of moral emotions in research on past transgressions and current attempts to restore social justice for indigenous peoples.

在定居者社会中，族群关系的定义是土著人民与定居者多数之间关于领土所有权的历史冲突。但是，土著群体首先出现在这里，并且首先到达是将所有权分配给一个群体的重要原则。在两项来自澳大利亚-凯尔特人的研究中（N  = 322和N = 475），我们认为并认为，对初来者应享的一般信念（即自律）与在道歉和对土著人的工具性赔偿方面对赔偿的更多支持以及对话题避免的减少有关。我们进一步提出，集体内，道德耻辱和形象耻辱的基于群体的情绪可以解释这些关联。我们发现，赞同自律信仰的多数成员感到内（研究1和2），道德上的耻辱（研究2）和形象上的耻辱（研究2）。反过来，罪恶感和道德耻辱与更多的赔偿支持和较少的话题回避相关，而图像羞耻与更多的话题回避相关，从而部分抑制了自律信念与话题回避之间的消极关联。