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

Abstract

According to the dual model, outgroup members can be dehumanized by being thought to possess uniquely and characteristically human traits to a lesser extent than ingroup members. However, previous research on this topic has tended to investigate the attribution of human traits that are socially desirable in nature such as warmth, civility and rationality. As a result, it has not yet been possible to determine whether this form of dehumanization is distinct from intergroup preference and stereotyping. We first establish that participants associate undesirable (e.g., corrupt, jealous) as well as desirable (e.g., open-minded, generous) traits with humans. We then go on to show that participants tend to attribute desirable human traits more strongly to ingroup members but undesirable human traits more strongly to outgroup members. This pattern holds across three different intergroup contexts for which dehumanization effects have previously been reported: political opponents, immigrants and criminals. Taken together, these studies cast doubt on the claim that a trait-based account of representing others as ‘less human’ holds value in the study of intergroup bias.

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

“…Since conservatives and those high in SDO are both more likely to dehumanize low-status outgroups (Hodson & Costello, 2007 ; Kteily et al, 2015 ), we account for these individual differences when testing our model. Moreover, to determine whether our inclusion of dehumanization in this model may just reflect general negativity toward the outgroup (Enock et al, 2021 ), we also accounted for participants’ affective prejudice toward each group.…”

“… 9 It should be noted that this measure is derived from the “Dual Model” of dehumanization (Haslam, 2006 ), which has recently been critiqued by Enock and colleagues ( 2021 ). Nonetheless, along with the Ascent of Man scale, this measure remains one of the few established measures of blatant dehumanization (see Kteily et al, 2015 ).…”

Intergroup preference, not dehumanization, explains social biases in emotion attribution

“…Recent experimental work from Enock, Flavell, Tipper, and Over (2021) supports Over's critique, presenting an empirical challenge to the dual model of dehumanization ( Haslam, 2006 ). Enock et al (2021) first established that people tend to associate undesirable characteristics as well as desirable ones with humans, confirming an omission from the dual model.…”

“…Recent experimental work from Enock, Flavell, Tipper, and Over (2021) supports Over's critique, presenting an empirical challenge to the dual model of dehumanization ( Haslam, 2006 ). Enock et al (2021) first established that people tend to associate undesirable characteristics as well as desirable ones with humans, confirming an omission from the dual model. Subsequently, seven experiments tested the predictions of the dual model directly against a social preference account in three distinct intergroup contexts - political opponents, immigrants and criminals.…”

Do infrahumanization and affective prejudice drive teacher discrimination against Romani students? A conceptual replication of Bruneau et al. (2020) in Germany

“…One explanation for this discrepancy concerns the role of the context in which these associations were studied. In less openly Romani-hostile contexts such as Germany, dehumanization insights may be less accurate in describing underlying discriminatory behaviors (Enock et al, 2021). At the same time, these findings highlight that, although teachers may be perceived as holding overtly egalitarian attitudes towards ethnic minority students, there remains a great deal of variation in prejudicial evaluations of different social groups.…”