SBP: CAREER: Mechanistic Dehumanization of Asians: Identifying Causes, Consequences, and Countermeasures for a More Inclusive STEM Workforce

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

To build a more inclusive society, diverse members in our communities must be treated fairly and kindly. However, as evidenced by recent events (e.g., COVID-19 pandemic), Asian Americans and Asians in the U.S. face biases from lacking leadership opportunities, receiving little social acceptance and support, to experiencing racialized verbal and physical attacks. These biases occur even in places where Asians are well-represented such as STEM schools and workplaces. Past theory and research have documented several stereotypes that explain why biases against Asians can occur (e.g., being seen as foreign and high achieving). The current project expands on past work by exploring a unique contributor to biases against Asians based on interdisciplinary research on dehumanization. Specifically, it is proposed that Asians have historically been viewed in the U.S. as like machines or robotics, indicating that they are subject to “mechanistic dehumanization.” Integrating this dehumanization perspective with social and industrial-organizational psychology research, this project develops a theoretical model to explain how Asians in the U.S. are impacted by mechanistic dehumanization. It also documents the psychological processes that can contribute to potential interventions to encourage people to see the humanity in others. This project is organized around a set of qualitative (e.g., focus groups) and quantitative (e.g., surveys, experiments) studies to examine the causes, consequences, and countermeasures of mechanistic dehumanization of Asians in the context of STEM workplaces and educational settings. Asian communities in the U.S. are diverse, and this project focuses on East Asian, South Asian, and Southeast Asian (i.e., the major Asian subgroups in the U.S.) targets while including members of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds as participants. The project unpacks key subfactors of mechanistic dehumanization, such as perceived submissiveness and lack of emotions, and it develops an instrument to scientifically assess this concept. Using this measure, the project will systematically explore three objectives. First, it determines the extent to which mechanistic dehumanization can explain biases against Asians (e.g., lack of social support at school and at work). Second, it exposes the psychological processes explaining why mechanistic dehumanization may underlie these biases. Third, it uncovers causes (e.g., group and cultural differences) that make Asians in the U.S. more vulnerable to mechanistic dehumanization. The project also develops anti-dehumanization educational materials to increase awareness of these issues and to improve equity and inclusion in social, educational, and organizational contexts. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.