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Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Post-Movie Subliminal Measurement (PMSM), for Investigating Implicit Social Bias
Published on: February 29, 2020
On the behavioral consequences of infrahumanization: the implicit role of uniquely human emotions in intergroup
Jeroen Vaes1, Maria Paola Paladino, Luigi Castelli
1Department of Developmental Psychology and Socialization, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. jeroen.vaes@unipd.it
Abstract:
Four experiments confirmed the hypothesis that people discriminate the out-group on the basis of the expression of uniquely human emotions. In Study 1, using a lost e-mail paradigm, the expression of a uniquely human emotion resulted in "nicer" replies when the sender was an in-group compared with an out-group member. The same pattern of results was obtained in Studies 2 and 3 using a conformity paradigm. In addition, perceived similarity was measured and proposed as a potential underlying mechanism (Study 3). Finally, using an approach-avoidance procedure, Study 4 showed that people not only deprive the out-group of positive consequences as in the former studies but that people also act against the out-group. The role of infrahumanization underlying prejudice and discrimination is discussed.
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