In-group perpetrated misdeeds ironically heighten victim dehumanization

Evidence

We have learned that individual differences play an important role in how the information is appraised, elaborated, and, of course, on the outcome variables – that is, the impression, judgment, and behavioral intentions that follow. Although the specific role of emotions is less understood at present, research is being conducted that will help us improve our models and reach a better understanding of their role, which I believe to be of foremost importance. Some of these findings are counterintuitive, and as such they challenge our views and contribute to the advancement of theory. For instance, the findings that show the enhanced dehumanization of victims when one’s in-group, rather than the out-group, is responsible for misdeeds. This adding-insult-to-injury effect is demoralizing, but it is better to know about it than not, so we can begin thinking of ways to combat it. — Emanuele Castano, On the Perils of Glorifying the In-group, 75

Categorization

• XREF: Directly relevant to the reader’s cross-check against Leidner et al.’s finding on in-group glorification as the threshold for moral disengagement. — connects to: Guards likely misattributed victims’ filth to the victims’ own nature, not their own doing — Leonard S. Newman and Ralph Erber (eds.), Understanding Genocide: The Social…, 363; In-group glorification drives dehumanization and minimization which reduce justice support for own-side atrocities. — Emanuele Castano, On the Perils of Glorifying the…, 54; Learning one’s group harmed another group increases dehumanization of the victims (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Acknowledging in-group responsibility for past atrocities increases infrahumanization of the victim group #corroborates (0.95) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 2108
• Learning one’s group harmed another group increases dehumanization of the victims #expands (0.92)
• In-group responsibility for harm dehumanizes even fictional alien out-groups #corroborates (0.90)
• Learning of one’s ingroup’s historical harm triggers outgroup dehumanization responses #corroborates (0.88) — Roderick M. Kramer, Geoffrey J. Leonardelli, Robert W. Livingston, Social Cognition, Social Identity, and…, 2107