TY - JOUR
T1 - Thou Shalt not Kill, Unless it is not a Human: Target Dehumanization May Influence Decision Difficulty and Response Patterns for Moral Dilemmas
T2 - TARGET DEHUMANIZATION MAY INFLUENCE DECISION DIFFICULTY and RESPONSE PATTERNS for MORAL DILEMMAS
AU - Bai, Hui
AU - Euh, Hyun
AU - Federico, Christopher M.
AU - Borgida, Eugene
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Guilford Publications, Inc.
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - Past research on moral dilemmas has thoroughly investigated the roles of personality and situational variables, but the role of targets in moral dilemmas has been relatively neglected. This article presents findings from four experiments that manipulated the perceived dehumanization of targets in moral dilemmas. Findings from Studies 1, 2, and 4 suggest that dehumanized targets may render the decision easier, and with less emotion. Findings from Studies 1 and 3, though not Studies 2 and 4, showed that dehumanization of targets in dilemmas may lead participants to make less deontological judgments. Findings from Study 3, but not Study 4, suggest that the effects of dehumanization manipulation on decision choices are potentially due to reduced deontological, but not utilitarian judgments. Though the patterns are somewhat inconsistent across the studies, overall, results suggest that targets' dehumanization can play a role in how people make their decisions in moral dilemmas.
AB - Past research on moral dilemmas has thoroughly investigated the roles of personality and situational variables, but the role of targets in moral dilemmas has been relatively neglected. This article presents findings from four experiments that manipulated the perceived dehumanization of targets in moral dilemmas. Findings from Studies 1, 2, and 4 suggest that dehumanized targets may render the decision easier, and with less emotion. Findings from Studies 1 and 3, though not Studies 2 and 4, showed that dehumanization of targets in dilemmas may lead participants to make less deontological judgments. Findings from Study 3, but not Study 4, suggest that the effects of dehumanization manipulation on decision choices are potentially due to reduced deontological, but not utilitarian judgments. Though the patterns are somewhat inconsistent across the studies, overall, results suggest that targets' dehumanization can play a role in how people make their decisions in moral dilemmas.
KW - Decision making
KW - Dehumanization
KW - Emotion
KW - Moral dilemmas
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85122199101&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1521/SOCO.2021.39.6.657
DO - 10.1521/SOCO.2021.39.6.657
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85122199101
SN - 0278-016X
VL - 39
SP - 657
EP - 686
JO - Social Cognition
JF - Social Cognition
IS - 6
ER -