Political Science

Imagined otherness fuels blatant dehumanization of outgroups

A. V. Loon, A. Goldberg, et al.

Discover how our minds perceive differences and how this influences dehumanization of opposing groups in America. This fascinating research by Austin van Loon, Amir Goldberg, and Sameer B. Srivastava reveals the concept of 'imagined otherness' and its impact on how we view those in differing political camps.

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Playback language: English

Index

Abstract

This paper explores the hypothesis that blatant dehumanization arises when people actively contemplate others' minds, introducing the construct of 'imagined otherness.' The study investigates how perceived schematic differences in understanding a central concept (America) relate to the dehumanization of outgroups (the opposing political party) among US Republicans and Democrats. Two pre-registered studies, one correlational and one experimental, support the theory, showing that imagined otherness catalyzes blatant dehumanization beyond the effects of general perceived difference and group identification.

Publisher

Communications Psychology

Published On

May 06, 2024

Authors

Austin van Loon, Amir Goldberg, Sameer B. Srivastava

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