multiple categorization and humanization

What is it about?

In three studies we examined the impact of multiple categorization on intergroup dehumanization. We showed that perceiving immigrants along multiple versus simple categorical dimensions enhanced the tendency to attribute human traits to this group. This effect was explained by the sequential mediation of increased individuation of the outgroup and reduced outgroup threat. We also introduced a novel way of measuring humanization in which participants generated attributes corresponding to the outgroup in a free response format. Participants generated more uniquely human traits in the multiple versus simple categorization conditions. Theoretical implications of these findings in informing and improving efforts to ameliorate contemporary forms of intergroup discrimination are discussed.

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