Social neuroscience evidence for dehumanised perception

Lasana T. Harris; Susan T. Fiske

doi:10.1080/10463280902954988

Social neuroscience evidence for dehumanised perception

Lasana T. Harris, Susan T. Fiske

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

138 Scopus citations

Abstract

Dehumanisation describes perceiving a person as nonhuman in some ways, such as lacking a mind. Social psychology is beginning to understand cognitive and affective causes and mechanismsthe psychological how and why of dehumanisation. Social neuroscience research also can inform these questions. After background on social neural networks and on past dehumanisation research, the article contrasts (a) research on fully humanised person perception, reviewing studies on affective and cognitive factors, specifically mentalising (considering another's mind), with (b) dehumanised perception, proposing neural systems potentially involved. Finally, the conclusion suggests limitations of social neuroscience, future research directions, and real-world consequences of this all-too-human phenomenon.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	192-231
Number of pages	40
Journal	European Review of Social Psychology
Volume	20
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/10463280902954988
State	Published - Mar 2009

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Social Psychology

Keywords

Dehumanisation
Disgust
Morality
Social neuroscience
Stereotype content model (SCM)

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10.1080/10463280902954988

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abstract = "Dehumanisation describes perceiving a person as nonhuman in some ways, such as lacking a mind. Social psychology is beginning to understand cognitive and affective causes and mechanismsthe psychological how and why of dehumanisation. Social neuroscience research also can inform these questions. After background on social neural networks and on past dehumanisation research, the article contrasts (a) research on fully humanised person perception, reviewing studies on affective and cognitive factors, specifically mentalising (considering another's mind), with (b) dehumanised perception, proposing neural systems potentially involved. Finally, the conclusion suggests limitations of social neuroscience, future research directions, and real-world consequences of this all-too-human phenomenon.",

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AB - Dehumanisation describes perceiving a person as nonhuman in some ways, such as lacking a mind. Social psychology is beginning to understand cognitive and affective causes and mechanismsthe psychological how and why of dehumanisation. Social neuroscience research also can inform these questions. After background on social neural networks and on past dehumanisation research, the article contrasts (a) research on fully humanised person perception, reviewing studies on affective and cognitive factors, specifically mentalising (considering another's mind), with (b) dehumanised perception, proposing neural systems potentially involved. Finally, the conclusion suggests limitations of social neuroscience, future research directions, and real-world consequences of this all-too-human phenomenon.

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KW - Morality

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Social neuroscience evidence for dehumanised perception

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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