Not Humans, but Animals or Machines Evidence of Dehumanization in Children

The aims of the present research are (1) to provide empirical evidence on animalization and, especially, mechanization in childhood and (2) to determine if outgroup stereotypical characteristics influence the dehumanization strategy chosen by children. In Study 1 (Study 1A: N = 77, M-age = 13.18; Study 1B: N = 140, M-age = 12.28), we investigated whether children associate machine-retated words with the outgroup (Japanese) to a greater extent than with the ingroup (Spanish). In Study 2 (Study 2A: N = 118, M-age = 11.72; Study 2B: N = 142, M-ag(e) = 11.66), we examined whether the perception of competence (Japanese-high competence vs. Arabs-tow competence) determines the dehumanization strategy used by children. The results show that children are capable of animalizing but also mechanizing and that the stereotypical characteristics of outgroups affect the form of dehumanization used.