Cogs in the machine: The prioritization of money and self-dehumanization

• Published in: Organizational behavior and human decision processes 2018-11, Vol.149, p.47-58
• Main Authors: Ruttan, Rachel L., Lucas, Brian J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dehumanization; Goals; Money; Motivation; Self-perception; Values
• ISSN: 0749-5978; 1095-9920
• DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2018.08.007

•The conditions under which the self is dehumanized remain understudied.•We integrate theories of values and humanness to explore self-dehumanization.•Prioritizing money predicts self-dehumanization.•A self-humanization manipulation reduces the prioritization of money.•The prioritization of money may be at odds with our perceptions of human nature. The dehumanization of other people is an unfortunately common occurrence that drives discrimination and conflict. We examined when and why the self can also be dehumanized. Across six studies, we found a reciprocal relationship between self-dehumanization and the prioritization of money. Participants who prioritized money (vs. control participants) attributed less humanness to themselves (Studies 1–4), and in turn, chose to socially distance themselves from a coworker (Study 4). Participants led to self-humanize (vs. control participants) were less likely to prioritize money over other goals (Studies 5A-6). The human nature dimension of humanness, which refers to attributes that separate humans from inanimate objects, was more sensitive to money-prioritization than was the human uniqueness dimension, which refers to attributes that separate humans from non-human animals. Alternative explanations based on affect and self-esteem were ruled out. These results suggest that the prioritization of money is at odds with our perceptions of human nature.