Dehumanization increases instrumental violence, but not moral violence

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Moral Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Dehumanization involves perceiving others as lacking human qualities.
• Understanding the link between dehumanization and different types of violence is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how dehumanization influences instrumental versus moral violence.
• To explore the psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship.

Main Methods:

• Five experiments were conducted, including attitude surveys and vignette studies.
• Participants' perceptions of victims and willingness to inflict harm were measured.
• The role of dehumanizing vs. humanizing language was examined.

Main Results:

• Dehumanization predicted support for instrumental violence (e.g., sweatshops, civilian casualties) but not moral violence (e.g., capital punishment, killing terrorists).
• Dehumanizing language increased willingness to harm for money, not for immoral behavior.
• Participants dehumanized strangers more when harming them for instrumental, not moral, reasons.

Conclusions:

• Dehumanization facilitates violence perceived as instrumentally beneficial, even if unethical.
• It does not contribute to moral violence, as perpetrators often wish to harm those they deem deserving of blame and suffering.
• Morally motivated perpetrators may humanize victims to justify violence.