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Published on: January 19, 2019
A Process Account of Dehumanization: Extending the Framework with a Developmental Research Agenda
Jeroen Vaes1, Cecilia Dapor1, Federica Meconi1
1Department of Psychology and Cognitive Science, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto, Italy.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|June 26, 2026
Summary
Dehumanization research has evolved, with a new conceptualization understanding it as a fading human-object divide in perception. This neuroscience-informed approach offers fresh insights into dehumanizing processes and future research directions.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Social Cognition
Background:
- Research on dehumanization, the perception of others as less than fully human, has significantly increased over the past 25 years.
- Existing research shows diverse methodological and conceptual trends.
- Neuroscience reveals distinct brain processing for human versus object stimuli.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of trends in dehumanization research.
- To introduce a novel conceptualization of dehumanizing perceptions.
- To integrate neuroscience findings into understanding dehumanization.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on dehumanization.
- Conceptual analysis integrating neuroscience findings.
- Discussion of implications for current controversies and future research.
Main Results:
- Dehumanization can be conceptualized as the erosion of the neural distinction between processing human and object stimuli.
- This process-based account addresses recent critiques and controversies in the field.
- Integrating developmental mechanisms is proposed to enhance understanding.
Conclusions:
- A neuroscience-informed process account offers a new framework for understanding dehumanization.
- This approach helps resolve existing debates and guides future research.
- Further investigation into developmental aspects is crucial for a comprehensive understanding.
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