Less human, more to blame: Animalizing poor people increases blame and decreases support for wealth redistribution

Mario Sainz; Rocío Martínez; Robbie M. Sutton; Rosa Rodríguez-Bailón; Miguel Moya

doi:10.1177/1368430219841135

Less human, more to blame: Animalizing poor people increases blame and decreases support for wealth redistribution

Mario Sainz^*, Rocío Martínez, Robbie M. Sutton, Rosa Rodríguez-Bailón, Miguel Moya

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Increasing economic inequality adversely affects groups with low socioeconomic status (low-SES). However, many people are opposed to wealth redistribution policies. In this context, we examined whether dehumanization of low-SES groups has a role in this opposition. In the first study (N = 303), opposition to wealth redistribution was related to denying human uniqueness (e.g., intelligence and rationality) and having negative attitudes toward low-SES groups, more than denying human nature (e.g., emotionality and capacity to suffer) to low-SES groups. Mediation analyses indicated that this effect occurred via blaming low-SES groups for their plight, after controlling for participants’ SES and negative attitudes towards low-SES groups. In the second study (N = 220), manipulating the human uniqueness of a fictitious low-SES group affected support for wealth redistribution measures through blame. These results indicate that animalizing low-SES groups reduces support for wealth redistribution via blaming low-SES groups for their situation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	546-559
Number of pages	14
Journal	Group Processes and Intergroup Relations
Volume	23
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1368430219841135
Publication status	Published - 1 Jun 2020
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research has been conducted in the framework of projects PSI2017-83966-R and PSI2016-78839-P, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness.

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2019.

Copyright:
Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Social Psychology
Cultural Studies
Communication
Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
Sociology and Political Science

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1177/1368430219841135

Cite this

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abstract = "Increasing economic inequality adversely affects groups with low socioeconomic status (low-SES). However, many people are opposed to wealth redistribution policies. In this context, we examined whether dehumanization of low-SES groups has a role in this opposition. In the first study (N = 303), opposition to wealth redistribution was related to denying human uniqueness (e.g., intelligence and rationality) and having negative attitudes toward low-SES groups, more than denying human nature (e.g., emotionality and capacity to suffer) to low-SES groups. Mediation analyses indicated that this effect occurred via blaming low-SES groups for their plight, after controlling for participants{\textquoteright} SES and negative attitudes towards low-SES groups. In the second study (N = 220), manipulating the human uniqueness of a fictitious low-SES group affected support for wealth redistribution measures through blame. These results indicate that animalizing low-SES groups reduces support for wealth redistribution via blaming low-SES groups for their situation.",

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AU - Sutton, Robbie M.

AU - Rodríguez-Bailón, Rosa

AU - Moya, Miguel

N1 - Funding Information: The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This research has been conducted in the framework of projects PSI2017-83966-R and PSI2016-78839-P, funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness. Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2019. Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

PY - 2020/6/1

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N2 - Increasing economic inequality adversely affects groups with low socioeconomic status (low-SES). However, many people are opposed to wealth redistribution policies. In this context, we examined whether dehumanization of low-SES groups has a role in this opposition. In the first study (N = 303), opposition to wealth redistribution was related to denying human uniqueness (e.g., intelligence and rationality) and having negative attitudes toward low-SES groups, more than denying human nature (e.g., emotionality and capacity to suffer) to low-SES groups. Mediation analyses indicated that this effect occurred via blaming low-SES groups for their plight, after controlling for participants’ SES and negative attitudes towards low-SES groups. In the second study (N = 220), manipulating the human uniqueness of a fictitious low-SES group affected support for wealth redistribution measures through blame. These results indicate that animalizing low-SES groups reduces support for wealth redistribution via blaming low-SES groups for their situation.

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Less human, more to blame: Animalizing poor people increases blame and decreases support for wealth redistribution

Abstract

Bibliographical note

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

UN SDGs

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