Taken from an email by Ryan Dowd. Learn more about this professional and his work: https://homelesslibrary.com/
Subject: Homelessness and Stereotypes
According to stereotype researchers (yes, that is a thing), there are four types of stereotypes.
The four types are based on two variables:
Whether the group is viewed as “high competence” or “low competence”
Whether the group is viewed as “high warmth” or “low warmth”
The four categories are:
Low Competence – High Warmth
The classic example is “the elderly.”
This is the domain of Paternalistic Prejudice.
High Competence – High Warmth
The classic example is “the middle class.”
This is the domain of Admiration.
Low Competence – Low Warmth
The classic example of this is “the homeless.”
This is the domain of Contemptuous Prejudice.
Low Competence – High Warm
The classic example of this is “the rich.”
This is the domain of Envious Prejudice.
One of these stereotypes is MUCH worse than the other three. Can you guess which one it is?
Yup! Homelessness!
If you put people in an fMRI machine and measure their brain activity while you show them pictures of the different groups, you get a consistent pattern.
For pictures of every group except homeless folks, the “Medial Prefrontal Cortex” lights up.
For pictures of homeless folks, the “Amygdala” and “Insula” light up in a sizeable number of people.
What that means is that many people’s brains LITERALLY do not register homeless folks as human beings.
This, my friends, is the neurological signature of dehumanization.
We have our work cut out for us…
Have a great day!
Peace,
Ryan
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