Skip to main content

Dehumanization, demonization, and morality shifting: Paths to moral certainty in extremist violence

Giner-Sorolla, Roger and Leidner, Bernhard and Castano, Emanuele (2011) Dehumanization, demonization, and morality shifting: Paths to moral certainty in extremist violence. In: Hogg, Michael A. and Blaylock, Danielle L., eds. Extremism and the psychology of uncertainty. The Claremont Symposium on Applied Social Psychology . Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 165-182. ISBN 978-1-4443-3128-8; 978-1-4443-4404-2; 978-1-4443-4407-3; 978-1-4443-4405-9; 978-1-4443-4406-6. (doi:10.1002/9781444344073.ch10) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:36631)

The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided.
Official URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9781444344073.ch10

Abstract

(from the chapter) We discuss here three ways in which moral uncertainty surrounding violent acts can be reduced, encouraging direct and indirect support for violence, before and after the fact. Although inspired by Bandura's theory of moral disengagement, we focus here on the contexts involved in extremist violence. We also want to clarify the term "moral disengagement." Although this term implies removal of moral concern, we see a more frightening potential in the positive moralization of violence. Specifically, violent extremism can be reconciled with the moral sense: 1) by dehumanizing or depersonalizing victims: removing them from moral consideration; 2) by demonizing victims: both removing them from moral consideration, and making it a moral duty to punish them; and 3) by morality shifting: moving the focus of judgment from harm and fairness to moral concerns favoring the in-group.

Item Type: Book section
DOI/Identification number: 10.1002/9781444344073.ch10
Uncontrolled keywords: extremist violence, moral uncertainty, moral disengagement, victims, in-groups, dehumanization, demonization, Ingroup Outgroup, Morality, Uncertainty, Violence, Ideology, Victimization, Objectification
Subjects: B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Psychology
Depositing User: Roger Giner-Sorolla
Date Deposited: 20 Nov 2013 12:22 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 10:13 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/36631 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

Giner-Sorolla, Roger.

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6690-8842
CReDIT Contributor Roles:
  • Depositors only (login required):

Total unique views for this document in KAR since July 2020. For more details click on the image.