CDS Seminar Series : Professor Harriett Over | How convincing are social psychological models of dehumanization?

This seminar is free to attend and is open to all, both within and outside the University. If you wish to attend in person or via Zoom, please register your interest to attend via the Zoom portal using the link above. Zoom details will be shared prior to the event via email.

We are delighted to announce that the Centre for Developmental Science will welcome Professor Harriett Over, Professor of Psychology and Deputy Head of Department at University of York, to present a hybrid CDS Seminar, taking place on Thursday 18th July 12:30-13:30 GMT.

You are welcome to attend either in person at 52 Pritchatts Road, Lecture Theatre 1, Room G16, or online via Zoom. If you wish to attend, please register your interest to attend either in person or online via the Zoom portal using the link above. 

There will be the opportunity for an informal discussion after the seminar itself.

Prof. Over can be contacted via email at harriet.over@york.ac.uk 

To arrange a 1:1 meeting with the speaker, please email Professor Jennifer Cook, j.l.cook@bham.ac.uk

CDS Event Hosts - Professor Jennifer Cook

How convincing are social psychological models of dehumanization? 

Abstract

Discrimination is a pressing social problem. Psychological research is better placed to help ameliorate discrimination if it accurately characterises the mechanisms underlying our behaviour. Prominent social psychological theories suggest that outgroups are often subtly dehumanised by being denied uniquely human qualities and emotions.  I will present a series of theoretical and empirical challenges to these claims. I will describe experimental data suggesting that, although out-group members may be denied some uniquely human qualities and emotions (like rationality and civility), they are often attributed others (like jealousy and spite). I will discuss the implications of these findings for our understanding of intergroup harm. 

Speaker Biography

Harriet Over is a professor and deputy head of the psychology department at the University of York. She completed her PhD in experimental psychology at Cardiff University in 2010. She then undertook postdoctoral research at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Psychology in Leipzig. She has been based at the University of York since 2013. Her research has been funded by the ESRC, Leverhulme Trust and ERC. 

This seminar is free to attend and is open to all, both within and outside the University. If you wish to attend in person or via Zoom, please register your interest to attend via the Zoom portal using the link above. Zoom details will be shared prior to the event via email.