"We are people": ingroup humanization as an existential defense

Prior research has shown the importance of humanness in shaping one's social identity, but no research has examined why this is the case. The present article reveals that humanizing the ingroup serves a terror management function. In 3 studies, Italian (Studies 1 and 2) and American (Study 3) p...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of personality and social psychology Vol. 98; no. 5; p. 750
Main Authors Vaes, Jeroen, Heflick, Nathan A, Goldenberg, Jamie L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.05.2010
Subjects
Adult
Attitude to Death
Culture
Defense Mechanisms
Existentialism
Female
Group Processes
Humans
Male
Self Concept
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:Prior research has shown the importance of humanness in shaping one's social identity, but no research has examined why this is the case. The present article reveals that humanizing the ingroup serves a terror management function. In 3 studies, Italian (Studies 1 and 2) and American (Study 3) participants humanized their own group more when their mortality was salient. In Study 3, humanizing the ingroup also functioned to reduce the accessibility of death thoughts. Together, these studies provide clear support for terror management theory as an explanatory framework for ingroup humanization.
ISSN:1939-1315
DOI:10.1037/a0017658