Chapter Five - The Developmental Origins of Dehumanization

Publication date: 2018Source: Advances in Child Development and Behavior, Volume 54Author(s): Niamh McLoughlin, Harriet OverAbstractDehumanization is a complex social phenomenon, intimately connected to intergroup harm and neglect. However, developmental research has only recently started to investigate this important topic. In this chapter, we review research in areas closely related to dehumanization including children's intergroup preferences, essentialist conceptions of social groups, and understanding of relative status. We then highlight the small number of recent studies that have investigated the development of this social bias more directly. We close by making a series of suggestions for future research that will enable us to better understand the nature and causes of this harmful phenomenon.
Source: Advances in Child Development and Behavior - Category: Child Development Source Type: research