Wilde, V. K., Martin, K. D., & Goff, P. A.
Dehumanization as a distinct form of prejudice
Racial equity scholars and advocates confront a defining paradox in contemporary racial inequality. Explicit prejudice has declined, while outcome disparities persist, a disconnect previously referred to as the Attitude, Inequality Mismatch (AIM) problem (Goff, 2013). This article helps explain the AIM problem by distinguishing different forms of prejudice — both conceptually and predictively — and focusing on dehumanization, which predicts the worst of intergroup outcomes. Pinpointing the distinct causes and consequences of dehumanization as a distinct category rather than simply an extreme form of prejudice is important for future social psychology research and action regarding intergroup conflict.
