DOCSLIB.ORG

An Investigation of Social Identity and Terror Management Processes in Online News

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
An Investigation of Social Identity and Terror Management Processes in Online News Identity and Death Threats: An Investigation of Social Identity and Terror Management Processes in Online News Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Mao Houamoua Vang-Corne, M.A. Graduate Program in Communication The Ohio State University 2016 Dissertation Committee: Jesse Fox, Advisor Lanier Holt Nancy Rhodes Zheng Joyce Wang Copyright by Mao Houamoua Vang-Corne 2016 Abstract When people experience reminders of their mortality, anxiety heightens. This, in turn, can increase worldview defenses such as outgroup derogation. In this experiment, White participants (N = 190) read an online news story that presented a death threat (death threat, non-death threat) and identity threat (White threat, Black threat, race-neutral threat) manipulation. Following exposure to the experimental manipulation, participants completed measures of anxiety, specific self-esteem, and worldview defense. A multicategorical moderation supported the integration of specific self-esteem in social identity processes. The findings from moderated mediation analyses support previous terror management research (Greenberg et al., 1997): When exposure to a death threat has not been sufficiently suppressed, anxiety from the threat can manifest in worldview defenses. Results demonstrate that specific self-esteem buffers anxiety elicited from threats unrelated to racial identity. Implications include identity processes by which the effects of threat can be mitigated. ii To kuv txiv, Wang Xing Houamoua Vang, kuv niam, Xiong Lee Vang, and my husband, Joseph Corne. iii Acknowledgments This document could not have been written without my advisor, Dr. Jesse Fox, whom I love and fear, just a little. But far from just being my advisor, you have become my older sister, my fellow foodie, my priest, my mentor. Thank you for kicking my butt and caring. I would also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to the following who guided, supported, and counseled me through this process: Dr. Nancy Rhodes, Dr. Lanier Holt, Dr. Joyce Wang, Dr. David Ewoldsen, Dr. Natalie Boyne, Adam Gay, David Myers, Dr. Roselyn Lee-Won, Dr. Sugata Chakravarti, Dr. Kevin Jolly, Patrick Fries, Kelly Dillon, Rachel Ralston, Stefanie Best, Jonathan Grove, Kylie Butte, my team at McGraw-Hill Education, my compatriots in the School of Communication, and many others who have cheered me on throughout these past four years. Many thanks especially to my family: Chong, Teng, Pao, Maiyer, Babe, Mom, Don, Jim, Carol, Lisa, Jay, JJ, and Brody. All of you: your support, your patience, and your pride in me are humbling. It is truly from such genuine, consistent support and belief in my ability that I am able to achieve everything that I have. iv To my husband, Joe, who puts up with the daily stressors, notes and books strewn about the house, and periods of dejection and listlessness: you quiet my doubts, you calm my fears, and you still love me even though you’ve seen me at my most neurotic, paranoid, and downright weird. Thank you for loving me. Lastly, I would like to acknowledge my parents, Wang Xing Houamoua Vang and Xiong Lee Vang, whose wisdom guide my every action. I am grateful to have parents who encourage my educational dreams and who faithfully support me even though they may not fully understand me. At every milestone, you stood by me. At every downturn, you believed in me. At every decision, you counseled me. Ua neb tsaug, kuv niam thiab kuv txiv. v Vita 2008 ............................................................... B.A. Art, The Leland Stanford Junior University 2012 ............................................................... M.A. Communication, The Ohio State University 2012 to 2015 ................................................. Graduate Teaching Associate, School of Communication, The Ohio State University 2015 to present .............................................. User and Market Researcher, McGraw-Hill Education Publications DeAndrea, D. C., Van Der Heide, B., Vendemia, M. A., & Vang, M. H. (in press). How people evaluate online reviews. Communication Research. doi: 10.1177/0093650215573862 vi Wang, Z., Vang, M. H., Lookadoo, K., Tchernev, J., & Cooper, C. (2015). Engaging high seekers: The dynamic interplay of sensation seeking, message visual-auditory complexity and arousing content. Journal of Communication, 65, 101-124. doi: 10.1111/jcom.12136 Johnson, B. K., Vang, M. H., & Van Der Heide, B. (2015). Show me the goods: The warranting effect of user-generated photographs in online auctions. Journal of Media Psychology, 27, 3-10. doi: 10.1027/1864-1105/a000126 Vang, M. H., & Fox, J. (2014). Race in virtual environments: Competitive versus cooperative games with Black or White characters. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 17(4), 235-240. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2013.0289 Fox, J., Christy, K. R., & Vang, M. H. (2014). The experience of presence in persuasive virtual environments. In G. Riva, J. Waterworth, & D. Murray (Eds.), Interacting with presence: HCI and the sense of presence in computer-mediated environments (pp. 164-178). Berlin, Germany: DeGruyter Open. Van Der Heide, B., Johnson, B. K., & Vang, M. H. (2013). The effects of product photographs and reputation systems on consumer behavior and product cost on eBay. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(3), 570-576. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2012.11.002 Fields of Study Major Field: Communication vii Table of Contents Abstract ............................................................................................................................... ii Dedication .......................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................. iv Vita ..................................................................................................................................... vi List of Figures ...................................................................................................................... x Chapter 1: Introduction and Overview ............................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: Theoretical Background ..................................................................................... 3 Chapter 3: Method ............................................................................................................. 26 Chapter 4: Results .............................................................................................................. 40 Chapter 5: Discussion ...................................................................................................... 600 References ......................................................................................................................... 76 Appendix A: Stimuli Pretest .............................................................................................. 92 Appendix B: Stimuli Pretest Measures .............................................................................. 98 Appendix C: Wave 1 Survey and Correlations ................................................................. 99 Appendix D: Final Stimuli .............................................................................................. 107 viii Appendix E: Specific Self-Esteem and Anxiety Measures ............................................ 113 Appendix F: Worldview Defense .................................................................................... 115 Appendix G: Wave 2 Items ............................................................................................. 116 Appendix H: Syntax for Hypotheses ............................................................................... 118 Appendix I: Model for Moderation of Identity Threat on Worldview Defenses Through Specific Self-Esteem (H1) ............................................................................................... 120 Appendix J: Descriptive Statistics for Identity and Death Threat Conditions on Worldview Defenses (H3) ............................................................................................... 121 Appendix K: Descriptive Statistics for Identity and Death Threat Conditions on Anxiety (H4) .................................................................................................................................. 122 Appendix L: Descriptive Statistics and Independent Samples t-Test Output With Death Threat Conditions ............................................................................................................ 123 ix List of Figures Figure 1. Moderation of identity threat on worldview defenses through specific self- esteem ................................................................................................................................ 21 Figure 2. Statistical model for the mediation of death threat, as moderated by identity threat, on worldview defenses through anxiety, as moderated by specific self-esteem .... 25 Figure 3. A visual representation of the interaction between specific self-esteem and identity threat generated with the SPSS code .................................................................... 43 Figure 4. Statistical model for the mediation of death threat on worldview defenses through anxiety .................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Less Human Than Other Nurses: an Examination Of
    LESS HUMAN THAN OTHER NURSES: AN EXAMINATION OF ATTRIBUTIONS OF HUMANNESS TOWARD AN OLDER ADULT IN LONG- TERM CARE by JOANNA DIEKER B.A., Pittsburg State University, 2014 A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the University of Colorado Colorado Springs in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Psychology 2017 ii This thesis for the Master of Arts degree by JoAnna Dieker has been approved for the Department of Psychology by Elizabeth Daniels, Chair Thomas Pyszczynski Judith Martin-Scott Date 12/6/2017 iii Dieker, JoAnna (M.A., Psychology) Less Human Than Other Nurses: An Examination of Attributions of Humanness Toward an Older Adult in Long-Term Care Thesis directed by Assistant Professor Elizabeth Daniels ABSTRACT The relationship between care recipient and care provider is central to the care recipient’s quality of life, yet relatively little is known about psychological factors that impact this relationship. Existing evidence suggests that infrahumanization of patients may reduce stress related to caring for those who are dying. Extending Terror Management Theory and infrahumanization research, the present research examined the effect of mortality salience and aging salience on perceptions of unique humanness attributed to an older adult relative to other nurses. Nursing majors at a university (n = 96) and adults with a background in nursing (n = 95) were asked to write about their own death, someone they know who has experienced decline and challenges during old age, or dental pain (control). They then rated themselves, other nurses, and an older adult on uniquely human traits, uniquely human emotions, and compassion.
    [Show full text]
  • Suicide Attitudes and Terror Management Theory
    University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Social Work College of Social Work 2019 SUICIDE ATTITUDES AND TERROR MANAGEMENT THEORY Athena Kheibari University of Kentucky, [email protected] Author ORCID Identifier: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1084-0738 Digital Object Identifier: https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2019.297 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Kheibari, Athena, "SUICIDE ATTITUDES AND TERROR MANAGEMENT THEORY" (2019). Theses and Dissertations--Social Work. 26. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/csw_etds/26 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Social Work at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Social Work by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained needed written permission statement(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine) which will be submitted to UKnowledge as Additional File. I hereby grant to The University of Kentucky and its agents the irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known.
    [Show full text]
  • Workbook on Security: Practical Steps for Human Rights Defenders at Risk
    WORKBOOK ON SECURITY: PRACTICAL STEPS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AT RISK FRONT LINE DEFENDERS WORKBOOK ON SECURITY: PRACTICAL STEPS FOR HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS AT RISK FRONT LINE DEFENDERS Published by Front Line 2011 Front Line Grattan House, 2nd Floor Temple Road Blackrock Co Dublin Ireland Phone: +353 1 212 3750 Fax: +353 1 212 1001 Copyright © 2011 Front Line Cover illustration: Dan Jones This Workbook has been produced for the benefit of human rights defenders and may be quoted from or copied so long as the source/authors are acknowledged. Copies of this Workbook are available free online at www.frontlinedefenders.org (and will be available in English, Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish) To order a Workbook, please contact: [email protected] or write to us at the above address Price: €20 plus post and packing ISBN: 978-0-9558170-9-0 Disclaimer: Front Line does not guarantee that the information contained in this Workbook is foolproof or appropriate to every possible circumstance and shall not be liable for any damage incurred as a result of its use. Written by Anne Rimmer, Training Coordinator, Front Line and reviewed by an invaluable team of human rights defenders: Usman Hamid, International Centre for Transitional Justice and Kontras, Indonesia, Ana Natsvlishvili, Georgia and a HRD from the Middle East (name withheld for security reasons). Acknowledgements: This Workbook is based on the concepts introduced in the Protection Manual for Human Rights Defenders, Enrique Eguren/PBI BEO, and the updated New Protection Manual for Human Rights Defenders, Enrique Eguren and Marie Caraj, Protection International. We are grateful to Protection International for permission to reproduce extracts from the New Protection Manual for Human Rights Defenders.
    [Show full text]
  • Alumni @ Large
    Colby Magazine Volume 98 Issue 2 Summer 2009 Article 10 July 2009 Alumni @ Large Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/colbymagazine Recommended Citation (2009) "Alumni @ Large," Colby Magazine: Vol. 98 : Iss. 2 , Article 10. Available at: https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/colbymagazine/vol98/iss2/10 This Contents is brought to you for free and open access by the Colby College Archives at Digital Commons @ Colby. It has been accepted for inclusion in Colby Magazine by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Colby. alumni at large 1920s-30s Meg Bernier Boyd Colby College Reunion at Reunion Office of Alumni Relations Waterville, ME 04901 1940 Ernest C. Marriner Jr. [email protected] 1941 Meg Bernier Boyd [email protected] 1942 Meg Bernier Boyd [email protected] Margaret Campbell Timberlake keeps active by line dancing every week and going on occasional trips. Y Walter Emery has travel plans of his own. In early fall he hopes to motor to New Brunswick to visit relatives, and, later in the year, he heads for Chapel Hill, N.C., to celebrate Thanksgiving with his niece and nephew. 1944 Josephine Pitts McAlary [email protected] PHOTO BY JIM EVANS We have made it to our 65th reunion! No Janet Deering Bruen ’79, left, and Betsy Powley Wallingford ’54 embrace during the parade of classes at small accomplishment. As I write this I have Reunion 2009, June 4-7. A reunion photo gallery is online at www.colby.edu/reunion. no idea how many of the Class of 1944 will make it to the June reunion.
    [Show full text]
  • Mortality Salience Effects Fail to Replicate in Traditional and Novel Measures
    Revised version of manuscript under review at Meta-Psychology. See full editorial process here: http://tinyurl.com/mp-submissions Participate in open peer review by commenting on this preprint in https://hypothes.is Mortality salience effects fail to replicate in traditional and novel measures Bjørn Sætrevik 1 & Hallgeir Sjåstad 2, 3 1: Operational psychology research group, Department for psychosocial science, Faculty of Psychology, University of Bergen 2: SNF - Centre for Applied Research at NHH 3: Department of Strategy and Management, Norwegian School of Economics Abstract Mortality salience (MS) effects, where death reminders lead to ingroup-bias and defensive protection of one’s worldview, have been claimed to be a fundamental human motivator. MS phenomena have ostensibly been identified in several hundred studies within the “terror management theory” framework, but transparent and high-powered replications are lacking. We performed an Experiment 1 (N = 101 Norwegian lab participants) to replicate the traditional MS effect on national patriotism, with additional novel measures of democratic values and pro-sociality. Experiment 2 (N = 784 US online participants) aimed to replicate the MS effect on national patriotism in a larger sample, with ingroup identification and pro-sociality as additional outcome measures. The results showed that neither experiment replicated the traditional MS effect on national patriotism. The experiments also failed to support conceptual replications and underlying mechanisms on different democratic values,
    [Show full text]
  • EL SALVADOR the Spectre of Death Squads
    EL SALVADOR The spectre of death squads INTRODUCTION The spectre of death squads has come back to the fore of public life in El Salvador with the recent appearance of clandestine groups such as the Fuerza Nacionalista Mayor Roberto D’Aubuisson (FURODA), Nationalist Force Major Roberto D’Aubuisson. Their attacks, including death threats against public figures, media people and religious leaders among others have caused growing concern and outrage at national and international level. Death squads and paramilitary groups were responsible for the systematic secret murder, torture and “disappearance” of suspected government opponents during the 1980s and early 1990s and benefitted from total impunity. There was the hope that they would be held accountable and cease to exist as a result of the 1992 Peace Accords and corresponding commitments by the Salvadorean authorities and support of the international community to improve the human rights situation. There was, in fact, a gleam of hope after the end of the war when there was a significant decrease in the number of serious human rights violations, particularly “disappearances”. But death threats by clandestine groups against political and other activists persisted, and sporadic killings and attempted assassinations bearing the hallmarks of death squads were carried out after the signing of the accords. Amnesty International believes that the threat of a return of death squads in El Salvador will only be removed when a special investigation into their activities - both past and present - is carried out, and all those found responsible are brought to justice. BACKGROUND The Chapultepec Accords, signed on 16 January 1992, ended 12 years of armed conflict between the government and the Frente Farabundo Martí para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN), a non-governmental entity.
    [Show full text]
  • Fpuscholarworks
    FPUScholarWorks Spiritual and religious implications of terror management theory: recommendations for church leaders in times of disaster and loss. Author(s): David B. Rose & Helmine Bigler. Source: Pacific Journal 7 (2012): 40-61. Publisher: Fresno Pacific University. Stable URL: http://hdl.handle.net/11418/534 FPUScholarWorks is an online repository for creative and scholarly works and other resources created by members of the Fresno Pacific University community. FPUScholarWorks makes these resources freely available on the Web and assures their preservation for the future. Pacifi c Journal Spiritual and Religious Implications of Terror Management Theory: Recommendations for Church Leaders in Times of Disaster and Loss DAVID B. ROSE AND HELMINE BIGLER At times, churches can be powerful centers of renewal and comfort. But at other times, churches can behave in ways that are cruel and destructive, especially to those who are different from ourselves, those on the margins of society (Harris, Erbes, & Engdahl, 2008). In this paper, we propose to examine one factor that may contribute to that inconsistent behavior: fear, particularly fear of death. After refl ecting on several national church meetings, one writer stated, Fear wraps its paralyzing grip around us. Fear of foes does not sit silent. It mobilizes to lash out . against all those people causing all these problems. And like the farm worker yanking both, weeds and wheat out of the ground, a reckless band of fear-inspired warriors destroys God’s harvest. (Lancaster, 2006, p.2). After a review social psychological research (summarized below), we be- lieve that much of the destructive fear described by Lancaster is explained by what researchers named “Terror Management Theory.” Terror Management Theory Terror management theory was originally developed using social psycho- logical research methods to test the assumptions of existential psychology.
    [Show full text]
  • Talking Books Catalogue
    Aaronovitch, Ben Rivers of London My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just another probationary constable in the Metropolitan Police Service. My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit and finding a way to climb into the panties of WPC Leslie May. Then one night, I tried to take a statement from a man who was already dead. Ackroyd, Peter The death of King Arthur An immortal story of love, adventure, chivalry, treachery and death brought to new life for our times. The legend of King Arthur has retained its appeal and popularity through the ages - Mordred's treason, the knightly exploits of Tristan, Lancelot's fatally divided loyalties and his love for Guenever, the quest for the Holy Grail. Adams, Jane Fragile lives The battered body of Patrick Duggan is washed up on a beach a short distance from Frantham. To complicate matters, Edward Parker, who worked for Duggan's father, disappeared at the same time. Coincidence? Mac, a police officer, and Rina, an interested outsider, don't think so. Adams,Jane The power of one Why was Paul de Freitas, a games designer, shot dead aboard a luxury yacht and what secret was he protecting that so many people are prepared to kill to get hold of? Rina Martin takes it upon herself to get to the bottom of things, much to the consternation of her friend, DI McGregor. ADICHIE, Chimamanda Ngozi Half of a Yellow Sun The setting is the lead up to and the course of Nigeria's Biafra War in the 1960's, and the events unfold through the eyes of three central characters who are swept along in the chaos of civil war.
    [Show full text]
  • Mortality Salience Increases Death-Anxiety for Individuals Low in Personal Need for Structure
    Motiv Emot (2013) 37:303–307 DOI 10.1007/s11031-012-9313-6 ORIGINAL PAPER Mortality salience increases death-anxiety for individuals low in personal need for structure Clay Routledge • Jacob Juhl • Matthew Vess Published online: 6 July 2012 Ó Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012 Abstract Research derived from terror management terror management theory (TMT; Greenberg et al. 1997), theory suggests that death cognition does not lead to death- death-related cognition does not typically lead to death- anxiety because people respond to thoughts of death by related anxiety because people are able to protect turning to social and cultural structures that provide a sense themselves from this potential distress by investing in of psychological security. However, recent research indi- established social and cultural structures that provide them cates that it is people high, but not low, in personal need for a meaningful and enduring sense of self. Consistent with structure that turn to social and cultural structures in this, a large body of research has demonstrated that prim- response to heightened death cognition. Such findings ing death (mortality salience; MS) increases investment in suggest that people low in PNS may be vulnerable to and defense of established meaning and self-transcendence experiencing death-anxiety when death thoughts are acti- providing social and cultural structures (e.g., one’s nation vated. The current study explored this possibility. Indi- or religion, see Solomon et al. 2000). These findings sug- vidual differences in personal need for structure were gest that when death thoughts are activated, most people measured and death cognition (mortality salience) was are able to diffuse the threat of mortality before it can lead manipulated.
    [Show full text]
  • Death and Presentation: How Mortality Salience and Framing Affects Attitudes Toward Welfare Recipients
    Death and Presentation: How Mortality Salience and Framing Affects Attitudes Toward Welfare Recipients SARAH C. GUTHRIE Communicated by: Dr. Catherine Borshuk Department of Psychology ABSTRACT One hundred-five introductory psychology students were included in this study to determine whether death awareness and presentation of information would affect attitudes toward out-groups. The mortality salience hypothesis states that people will be more likely to hold negative attitudes toward out-groups when their existing beliefs are not supported and when mortality becomes salient. The results supported this hypothesis, suggesting that out-groups can alter people's attitudes accord­ ing to existing beliefs. Compared to personal causes for people on welfare assistance, social causes did not show significantly different effects, nor were there any interaction effects between mortality salience and framing. The Interpersonal Judgment Scale was used to measure attitudes toward dis­ similar others on two items: emotional liking and readiness to cooperate in a study with an out-group member. People recognize that stigmatized groups exist. Ex­ et al., 1990) have found that when people were aware of amples of such out-groups are persons with physical their death, they perceived people who belonged to the disabilities, mental illness, and welfare recipients. Stig­ same religious group positively, while viewing religious matized groups are viewed negatively, but the under­ out-groups negatively. lying causes are not discernible. Two areas have been Further, when they were aware of their death, peo­ examined that may aid in understanding why this phe­ ple mandated that out-groupers receive harsher sen­ nomenon occurs. The mortality salience hypothesis tences for being "moral transgressors" (Rosenblatt et states that people will be more likely to hold negative al., 1989, p.
    [Show full text]
  • Self-Defense Without Imminence
    ARTICLES SELF-DEFENSE WITHOUT IMMINENCE Fritz Allhoff* ABSTRACT The doctrine of self-defense allows that otherwise criminal force can be justi®ed so long as the actor reasonably believes its use necessary to protect against imminent and unlawful attack. Supposing that the force is necessary to dispel the attack, why the further requirement that the attack is imminent? The restriction precludes the use of force which, ex hypothesi, is the only way that the actor could defend himself. This Article surveys and critiques the rationale for the imminence requirement, arguing that it should be jettisoned in favor of a more expansive conception of self-defense. While the focus is on domestic law, the paper concludes by gesturing towards implications for international law as well, particularly with regards to preventive war (i.e., war against non-imminent threats). I. IMMINENCE AND NECESSITY Self-defense has long been taken to justify an otherwise illicit use of force. William Blackstone, characterizing the eighteenth-century common law of England, provided: [I]f the party himself, or any of these his relations, be forcibly attacked in his person or property, it is lawful for him to repel force by force; and the breach of the peace, which happens, is chargeable upon him only who began the affray. For the law, in this case, respects the passions of the human mind; and ... makes it lawful in him to do himself that immediate justice, to which he is prompted by nature, and which no prudential motives are strong enough to restrain. It considers that the future process of law is by no means an adequate remedy for injuries accompanied with force; since it is impossible to say, to * Fritz Allhoff, J.D., Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Western Michigan University.
    [Show full text]
  • When Words Take Lives
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by UC Research Repository 1 When Words Take Lives: The Role of Language in the Dehumanization and Devastation of Jews in the Holocaust A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts in English in the University of Canterbury by Sarah Anne Fisk University of Canterbury 2009 2 Table of Contents Abstract 3 Introduction 5 Chapter One: The Hierarchy of Race: Historical Definitions of the Human 10 Chapter Two: Theory’s Explosive Culmination: Mein Kampf and Nazism 38 Chapter Three: When Representation becomes Reality: Dehumanizing Principles put into Action 59 Chapter Four: Life on the Lowest Level: The Stories of the Subhuman and Non-human Animals 82 Conclusion 109 Works Cited 117 3 Abstract This thesis will examine the ways in which anti-Semitic and more generalized racial theories were powerfully and effectively mobilized under Hitler and his Nazi regime. In the establishment of Nazi ideology and the practice of its principles, Hitler drew upon an old, extensive and specific genre of animalizing language. Hitler’s regime skillfully employed contemporary and diverse modes of discourse to dehumanize and devastate the Jewish people. By juxtaposing traditional anti-Semitic beliefs with ideals of Aryan superiority, the Nazis were able to expand and strengthen pre-existing anti- Semitism whilst reaffirming Germany as the ultimate example of evolutionary progression. Integral to Hitler’s success was the use of animal imagery and its respective connotations, associations and evocations. Throughout Hitler’s regime, the term “animal” remained without an exact or precise definition; the ambiguous definition of “animal” allowed for multiple applications – both destructive and constructive.
    [Show full text]