Psychologiczne uwarunkowania aktów dehumanizacji

The article discusses the most important sources of various forms of dehumanization and destructive behavior. Modern knowledge and psychological research allow to understand dehumanization as a phenomenon going beyond behavioral acts. The main goal of this article is the presentation of two psychological traditions, that explain violence and social aggression in the light of the individual’s mental dysfunctions, as well as in the light of the dynamics of social processes (above all group processes and interpersonal interaction). Presentation of this second research tradition is in my opinion of key importance for understanding the most important and the most serious determinants of dehumanization, although it is systematically underestimated or little known in sociological and political science literature. Identification of relevant sources of dehumanization can contribute to their quicker identification and inhibition.