Being Treated as an Instrument: Consequences of Instrumental Treatment and Self-Objectification on Task Engagement and Performance

Nonhuman treatment reduces helping others: self-dehumanization as a mechanism

Objectification is a daily experience with various negative consequences. In four studies (N = 877), we tested whether and how objectification experience contributes to decreased prosociality. Using correlational designs (Studies 1 and 2), we found that participants' objectification experience negatively predicted their prosocial intention and that self-dehumanization could account for the negative association between objectification and prosocial intention. Next, by manipulating participants' objectification experience, we found the negative effect of objectification on prosocial intention, as well as the mediating role of self-dehumanization (Studies 3 and 4). Additionally, we tested the mediating role of self-dehumanization in comparison with relative deprivation (another potential mediator), and consistently found that self-dehumanization was a stronger mediator in accounting for the effect of objectification on prosocial intention (Studies 1, 2, and 4). Together, our findings support the process of self-dehumanization following objectification and offer new insights into the relationship between objectification and prosociality. The implications and limitations of the research were discussed.

Workplace Objectification Leads to Self-Harm: The Mediating Effect of Depressive Moods

In the current research, we aimed to extend the literature on workplace objectification and contribute to employees' well-being by exploring whether and how workplace objectification increases self-harm as well as the coping strategy that may weaken the effect. Employing archive data analytic, correlational, longitudinal, and experimental designs, we found that workplace objectification was associated with, or led to, self-harm, irrespective of whether such actions provided an escape from work. This effect could not be simply ascribed to the negative nature of workplace objectification. We further found that depressive moods mediated this effect. The detrimental effect of workplace objectification on self-harm was lessened when employees perceived higher alternatives in life. Theoretical and managerial implications were discussed.

Organizational Culture, Justice, Dehumanization and Affective Commitment in French Employees: A Serial Mediation Model

The instrumentality of employees can be considered a common feature of the modern workplace. To investigate the influence of this instrumentalizing culture on organizational performance on the individual level, we tested whether perceived clan values (according to the Competing Values Framework) could explain affective commitment directly and indirectly through perceptions of organizational justice and organizational dehumanization in employees. Using the PROCESS macro, we tested a corresponding serial mediation model in a convenience sample of 306 French employees. Although employees who perceived a lack of clan values were less committed, the observed indirect effect was greater. Our findings highlight the role of perceived organizational culture in influencing affective commitment and how perceived justice and dehumanization may explain part of this relationship. This research also contradicts widespread beliefs stating dehumanizing strategies are universally beneficial in terms of organizational efficiency. Limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

The power of emojis: The impact of a leader's use of positive emojis on members' creativity during computer-mediated communications

The existing literature on emojis offers limited insights on the effects of using emojis in organizational settings, especially in the context of leader-member relationships. The current research examines how a leader's use of positive emojis can influence members' creative performance, a critical determinant of an organization's success and productivity. We find that a leader's use of positive emojis enhances members' creativity and that this effect is mediated by a decrease in members' perception of objectification by the leader. We further find that this impact of a leader's use of positive emojis on members' creativity is stronger when members have a higher level of relationship orientation. Contrary to the popular belief that the use of emojis in a work setting is inappropriate, our findings reveal that leaders' use of emojis has positive impacts on important workplace outcomes. These findings provide important guidelines on how to apply emojis to computer-mediated communications at work by demonstrating the circumstances in which positive consequences of using emojis occur.

Organizational metadehumanization and mechanistic self-dehumanization: The role of surface acting

This research examines the relationship between metadehumanization, that is, perceiving dehumanizing treatments, and self-dehumanization, that is, perceiving oneself as less than human. We argue that, in work settings, this relationship can be explained through a behavioral mechanism. Specifically, organizational metadehumanization would drive employees to engage in more emotional labor (i.e., surface acting), which, in turn, would generate mechanistic self-dehumanizing perceptions. Our hypothesized mediation model is tested across three studies. First, a cross-sectional field study shows that organizational metadehumanization is positively related to surface acting, which is in turn positively associated with mechanistic self-dehumanizing perceptions. Second, an experimental study, manipulating the level of organizational metadehumanization through vignettes, confirms that the more employees feel dehumanized by their organization, the more they engage in surface acting, which, in turn, leads to mechanistic self-dehumanizing perceptions. Third, a longitudinal field study with repeated measures corroborates that the use of surface acting conducts employees to perceive mechanistic self-dehumanization. Overall, these findings highlight that metadehumanization in the workplace is critical in the way employees manage their emotions, which is determinant in the development of mechanistic self-dehumanizing perceptions.

Introduction to the Special Issue of Group Processes & Intergroup Relations Less than Human: What People who are Dehumanized Think, Feel, and Do

Over recent years, social psychological research has investigated dehumanization (viewing and treating people as less than human) by primarily focusing on those who dehumanize—the perpetrators. Less is known about those who are dehumanized—the targets of dehumanization. This Special Issue aims to address this gap by assembling empirical works on metadehumanization (when targets perceive that they are being dehumanized by others) and self-dehumanization (when targets come to see themselves in dehumanized ways). In this introductory article, we summarize the state of the science and suggest a research agenda for further studying dehumanization from the target’s perspective, by considering: (a) the impact of dehumanizing portrayal used in media; (b) the role of cultural or societal features in shaping our humanness; (c) the individual or situational variables that trigger a dehumanizing versus rehumanizing reaction to dehumanization; (d) the influence of risk- or protective factors on the emerging of metadehumanizing or self-dehumanizing feelings; and (e) the phenomenon of ingroup dehumanization.

An exchange orientation results in an instrumental approach in intimate relationships

Although the possession of instrumentality (i.e., partner B being useful to partner A's goal pursuit) can facilitate relationship satisfaction, taking an instrumental approach (i.e., A focusing on B's usefulness and seeing B as a tool to facilitate personal goal attainment) is (often) considered as a callous and depersonalized approach to forming relationships. The current research examined whether adopting an exchange orientation amplifies the tendency for people to take an instrumental approach via the motive to maximize self-gain. Four studies (N = 1446) utilizing samples across different countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States and China, supported this hypothesis. Specifically, during relationship initiation, an exchange (vs. non-exchange) orientation made participants place higher importance on instrumentality rather than traits facilitating intimacy and bonding (Study 1). For established relationships, participants who chronically adopted an exchange orientation (Study 2) and who were temporarily induced to do so (vs. control; Study 3) were more likely to view their significant other as a tool. The final quasi-experiment (Study 4) showed that requiring or being required to offer a bride price - an embodiment of exchange orientation - predicted instrumentality in marriage and subsequently impaired relationship satisfaction. Implications are discussed.

Objectification limits authenticity: Exploring the relations between objectification, perceived authenticity, and subjective well-being

Five studies (total valid N = 834) examined whether objectification (i.e., being treated as a tool or an object to achieve others' goals) reduces people's perceived authenticity and subjective well-being. Participants who experienced more objectification (Studies 1a and 1b), imagined being objectified (Study 2), or recalled a past objectification experience (Study 3) felt less authentic and reported lower levels of subjective well-being than their counterparts. Moreover, perceived authenticity mediated the link between objectification and subjective well-being (Studies 1a-3). In addition, offering objectified participants an opportunity to restore authenticity could enhance their well-being (Study 4). Taken together, our findings highlight the crucial role of authenticity in understanding when and why objectification decreases subjective well-being and how to ameliorate this relationship. Our findings also imply the effect of authenticity in understanding various psychological outcomes following objectification.