No convincing evidence outgroups are denied uniquely human characteristics: Distinguishing intergroup preference from trait-based dehumanization

Abstract

We challenge the prevalent claim that outgroup members are dehumanised. In study 1, we conducted a systematic content analysis of historical documents from Nazi Germany and showed that, even in these supposedly prototypical cases of extreme dehumanisation, victims are described in ways that only make sense when applied to humans. In studies 2a-c, we test Haslam’s influential dual model of dehumanisation. We show that outgroup members are thought to possess positive human attributes to a lesser extent but negative human attributes to a greater extent. In study 3, we test Leyens’ prominent infrahumanisation model and demonstrate that, contrary to a body of previous work, outgroup members are not thought to experience all secondary emotions less intensely. Rather, they are thought to experience prosocial emotions less intensely but antisocial emotions more intensely. In a final study, we question the hypothesised relationship between dehumanisation and modulation of prosocial behaviour. We demonstrate that describing someone in uniquely human terms can actually reduce prosociality towards them when those terms are antisocial. Taken together, these studies cast doubt on the claim that representing others as ‘less human’ holds explanatory power in the study of intergroup bias.

The most human bot: Female gendering increases humanness perceptions of bots and acceptance of AI

“…In this article, we suggest that research on what makes people human (Ghafurian et al, 2019; H. M. Gray et al, 2007), can provide a new and more nuanced perspective into why feminization is systematically used in AI. More specifically, we draw on theories of humanization and dehumanization (Enock et al, 2020; Haslam et al, 2013; Kteily et al, 2015; Leyens et al, 2000; Over, 2020) to explore consumers' perception of the humanness of male and female AI. Because warmth and experience (but not competence) are seen as fundamental to humans but fundamentally lacking in machines (K. Gray & Wegner, 2012), we argue that women are used in AI objects to humanize these objects.…”

“…More specifically, we draw on theories of humanization and dehumanization (Enock et al, 2020;Haslam et al, 2013;Kteily et al, 2015;Leyens et al, 2000;Over, 2020) to explore consumers' perception of the humanness of male and female AI. Because warmth and experience (but not competence) are seen as fundamental to humans but fundamentally lacking in machines (K. Gray & Wegner, 2012), we argue that women are used in AI objects to humanize these objects.…”

Filthy Animals: Integrating the Behavioral Immune System and Disgust into A Model of Prophylactic Dehumanization

“…This may explain why dehumanization likening victims to diseases or their vectors (e.g., rats and cockroaches) is thought to have played an integral role in several twentieth-century genocides (Neilsen, 2015;Savage, 2007). To quantify the prevalence of disease-based dehumanization during a paradigmatic instance of genocide, we first re-analyzed data from a previous content analysis of Nazi antisemitic propaganda (Enock et al, 2020). We then built on this archival method with three studies investigating the Prophylactic Dehumanization Model during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

“…The documents were all translated to English by the same expert historian (see Bytwerk, 2012) and amount to 29,185 total words. A brief synopsis of each document provided by Enock et al (2020) is included in Online Resource 1. Enock et al (2020) initially coded each document for instances of dehumanization, identifying 171 total instances.…”

“…A brief synopsis of each document provided by Enock et al (2020) is included in Online Resource 1. Enock et al (2020) initially coded each document for instances of dehumanization, identifying 171 total instances. We examined each of these 171 cases and identified those in which Jews were dehumanized in a way that directly likened them to a contaminant (e.g., plague, pestilence) or a common vector of disease (e.g., parasite, rat).…”