The fusion-secure base hypothesis

Jack Klein

University of Melbourne

Identity fusion – a particularly strong form of group alignment – is often conceptualized as antithetical to positive intergroup relations, with fused actors motivated to commit acts of violence on outgroups. However, research suggests that fusion’s aggressive outcomes are largely conditional on threat perception, with its effect on benign intergroup relationships underexplored. The fusion-secure base hypothesis argues that fusion may in fact engender cooperative relationships with outgroups, albeit in the absence of outgroup threat. Fusion is characterized by four principles, each of which allow a fused group to function as a secure base in which ingroup members feel safe, agentic, and supported. This elicits a secure base schema, which increases the likelihood of fused actors interacting with outgroups and forming cooperative, reciprocal relationships. Outgroup threat remains an important moderator, with its presence ‘flipping the switch’ in fused actors and promoting a willingness to violently protect the group even at significant personal cost. The fusion-secure base hypothesis ultimately positions identity fusion as a facilitator or inhibitor of positive intergroup relationships, depending on the level of perceived outgroup threat, thereby expanding our understanding of fusion’s role in intergroup dynamics.