Harnessing Dehumanization Theory to Curate Modern Media Reducing Support for Retributive Violence

Groups that commit egregious moral transgressions are often overtly characterized as subhuman, which may inspire support for retributive violence (SRV) against them. We tested this notion following Russia’s blatantly unjust attack of Ukraine. We expected many third-party observers to dehumanize Russians, which in turn would inspire SRV—retaliating with unambiguous war crimes against Russian soldiers and civilians. Thus, we aimed to reduce SRV by humanizing Russians. To intervene during the war’s earliest stages, we curated rich-yet-accessible online media that highlighted aspects of Russians’ humanity. We then identified the most effective content with an intervention tournament. The “winning” intervention reduced SRV—specifically by reducing dehumanization of Russians, not general negative affect toward them. This suggests dehumanization drives support for unrestrained violence and demonstrates the importance of separating it from general dislike. Collectively, this work sharpens dehumanization’s construct validity and offers a practical method for intervening during emergent social crises.