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The dehumanization theory has recently come into question as it has various definitions between the three fields in which it is studied (e.g., social psychology, neuroscience, philosophy) (Over, 2020). Past research has shown that the dehumanization of another person can lead to increased willingness to cause harm on said person (Rudman & Mescher, 2012; Viki et al., 2013). The present study seeks to gain more clarity into the psychological side of the dehumanization theory through the combination of several previous studies with different methods of achieving dehumanization (Rudman & Mescher, 2012; Tipler & Ruscher, 2019; Viki et al., 2013). While many previous studies have focused on harm, this study will be exploring sexist attitudes and attitudes towards violence. Adults over the age of 18 recruited from Facebook and Reddit will take a survey containing a dehumanization manipulation as well as questionnaires measuring levels of sexism and attitudes towards violence. Only half of the participants will actually be manipulated for dehumanization in this study. A Qualtrics survey will employ a dehumanization vignette, the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (Glick & Fiske, 1996), and the Revised Attitudes Towards Violence Scale (Anderson et al., 2006). The relationship between those who are manipulated for dehumanization and those who are not will be examined through an independent samples t-test in SPSS. The outcomes of this research will ideally help with some of the disconnect that is present within the dehumanization theory while also providing information about previously under-researched areas. 

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Thomas Holtgraves 

Department of Psychological Science 

Graduate