Journal
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY-GENERAL
Volume 151, Issue 10, Pages 2586-2603Publisher
AMER PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOC
DOI: 10.1037/xge0001206
Keywords
intergroup relations; religion; dehumanization
Categories
Funding
- Templeton Religion Trust [TRT0189]
- National Science Foundation [SES-0962080, SES-1949467]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
In this study, we investigate how belief in moralizing gods influences dehumanization of ethno-religious outgroups, and find that individuals generally attribute more positive human qualities to outgroup members when considering the perspective of God. Additionally, thinking about God's views can promote more positive intergroup attitudes.
In seven studies, six with American Christians and one with Israeli Jews (total N = 2,323), we examine how and when belief in moralizing gods influences dehumanization of ethno-religious outgroups. We focus on dehumanization because it is a key feature of intergroup conflict. In Studies 1-6, participants completed measures of dehumanization from their own perspectives and also from the perspective of God, rating the groups' humanity as they thought God would rate it, or wish for them to rate it. When participants completed measures from both their own and God's perspectives, they reported believing that, compared with their own views, God would see (or prefer for them to see) outgroup members as more human. In Study 7, we extend these findings by demonstrating that thinking about God's views reduces the extent to which religious believers personally dehumanize outgroup members. Collectively, results demonstrate that religious believers attribute universalizing moral attitudes to God, compared to themselves, and document how thinking about God's views can promote more positive intergroup attitudes.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available