Abstract
People perceive morality to be distinctively human, with immorality representing a lack of full humanness. In eight experiments, we examined the link between immorality and self-dehumanization, testing both (a) the causal role of immoral behavior on self-dehumanization and (b) the causal role of self-dehumanization on immoral behavior. Studies 1a to 1d showed that people feel less human after behaving immorally and that these effects were not driven by having a negative experience but were unique to experiences of immorality (Study 1d). Studies 2a to 2c showed that self-dehumanization can lead to immoral and antisocial behavior. Study 3 highlighted how self-dehumanization can sometimes produce downward spirals of immorality, demonstrating initial unethical behavior leading to self-dehumanization, which in turn promotes continued dishonesty. These results demonstrate a clear relationship between self-dehumanization and unethical behavior, and they extend previous theorizing on dehumanization.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1234-1246 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Psychological Science |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 1 2018 |
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Keywords
- morality
- open data
- preregistered
- repeated dishonesty
- self-dehumanization
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychology(all)
Cite this
}
The Link Between Self-Dehumanization and Immoral Behavior. / Kouchaki, Maryam; Dobson, Kyle S.H.; Waytz, Adam; Kteily, Nour Sami.
In: Psychological Science, Vol. 29, No. 8, 01.08.2018, p. 1234-1246.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - The Link Between Self-Dehumanization and Immoral Behavior
AU - Kouchaki, Maryam
AU - Dobson, Kyle S.H.
AU - Waytz, Adam
AU - Kteily, Nour Sami
PY - 2018/8/1
Y1 - 2018/8/1
N2 - People perceive morality to be distinctively human, with immorality representing a lack of full humanness. In eight experiments, we examined the link between immorality and self-dehumanization, testing both (a) the causal role of immoral behavior on self-dehumanization and (b) the causal role of self-dehumanization on immoral behavior. Studies 1a to 1d showed that people feel less human after behaving immorally and that these effects were not driven by having a negative experience but were unique to experiences of immorality (Study 1d). Studies 2a to 2c showed that self-dehumanization can lead to immoral and antisocial behavior. Study 3 highlighted how self-dehumanization can sometimes produce downward spirals of immorality, demonstrating initial unethical behavior leading to self-dehumanization, which in turn promotes continued dishonesty. These results demonstrate a clear relationship between self-dehumanization and unethical behavior, and they extend previous theorizing on dehumanization.
AB - People perceive morality to be distinctively human, with immorality representing a lack of full humanness. In eight experiments, we examined the link between immorality and self-dehumanization, testing both (a) the causal role of immoral behavior on self-dehumanization and (b) the causal role of self-dehumanization on immoral behavior. Studies 1a to 1d showed that people feel less human after behaving immorally and that these effects were not driven by having a negative experience but were unique to experiences of immorality (Study 1d). Studies 2a to 2c showed that self-dehumanization can lead to immoral and antisocial behavior. Study 3 highlighted how self-dehumanization can sometimes produce downward spirals of immorality, demonstrating initial unethical behavior leading to self-dehumanization, which in turn promotes continued dishonesty. These results demonstrate a clear relationship between self-dehumanization and unethical behavior, and they extend previous theorizing on dehumanization.
KW - morality
KW - open data
KW - preregistered
KW - repeated dishonesty
KW - self-dehumanization
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85047410471&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85047410471&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0956797618760784
DO - 10.1177/0956797618760784
M3 - Article
VL - 29
SP - 1234
EP - 1246
JO - Psychological Science
JF - Psychological Science
SN - 0956-7976
IS - 8
ER -