Abstract
The literature shows that trauma caused by the Holocaust is transmitted to the third generation, as evident in several aspects of their life. This supports the notion of “radioactive identification” with the Holocaust in subsequent generations. We aimed to explore the depth of this identification further, mostly from a non-pathological perspective, focusing on daily life and habits. We conducted a survey of 1,027 Israelis whose grandparents are Holocaust survivors, using the Subjective Holocaust Influence Level (SHIL) index. The survey included questions about participants’ attitude towards the Holocaust and that of their families, as well as questions regarding well-being, emotions, daily life, financial behavior and habits in the present and in the home where they grew up. Categorizing the third-generation participants in groups based on their SHIL reveals the heterogeneity of the Holocaust’s influence on their daily lives. The results showed a connection between SHIL and many components of daily life, evidence that Holocaust trauma is transmitted to the survivors’ grandchildren, but its influence is heterogenic. It seems that the heterogeneity of the third generation’s SHIL and the impact of the Holocaust on their life is also related to the life and habits in the homes where they grew up. Thus, the power of the “radioactive identification” with the Holocaust depends also on the habits and daily life in their childhood homes (level of exposure). We infer that the transmission of the Holocaust trauma has characteristics of posttraumatic growth.
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Data availability
Data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on request.
Change history
11 December 2023
A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05512-1
Notes
For 23 participants, the survey was stopped after the first attention check; for 13 participants, after the second attention check. These participants are not part of the sample.
A total of 116 participants (9.8% of those who progressed past the initial filtering questions) started the survey but did not complete it.
This question is used in the World Happiness Report 2020 as a measure for Happiness (WHS 2020, Technical Box 1).
The use of emotions in previous day is based on World Happiness Report 2020 (Technical Box 1). It is also based on Diener et al. (2010) who suggest that measuring emotions in previous day “reduces the extent of memory bias” (p. 54). They also suggest that when asked about the previous day, people report emotions they experienced because they anchored to yesterday’s emotions, but do not report long-term emotions or general emotions.
The options were: (1) Did not finish high school, (2) Finished high school without a matriculation certificate, (3) Matriculation certificate, (4) Bachelor’s degree (5) Master’s degree, (6) Ph.D.
Based on the Social Survey 2021, administered by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics, there were 10 possible answers, in New Israeli Shekels (NIS). (1) Less than 2,500; (2) 2,501–4,000; (3) 4,001–5,000, 4) 5,001–6,500, 5) 6,501–8,000; (6) 8,001–10,000; (7) 10,001–13,000; (8) 13,001–17,000; (9) 17,001–24,000; (10) More than 24,000. The exchange rate at the time of the survey was approximately US$ 1 to NIS 3.2.
“How is your health in general?” 1 [very bad], 2 [bad], 3 [fair], 4 [good], 5 [very good].
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Oren, G., Shavit, T. “Radioactive identification” with the holocaust: An empirical study of holocaust trauma’s effect on the third generation. Curr Psychol 43, 12731–12742 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05343-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05343-0