The Genetic/Evolutonary Basis of Prejudice and Hatred
I believe that prejudice underlies the development of hatred toward various outgroups. Hence, in order to understand the origins of hatred, it is essential to understand the origins of prejudice. Our genetic/evolutionary heritage provides the initial push toward prejudice. My essential argument is t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Gonzaga Library Publishing
2004-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Hate Studies |
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| Online Access: | https://jhs.press.gonzaga.edu/articles/24 |
| _version_ | 1818575925164376064 |
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| author | Harold D. Fishbein |
| author_facet | Harold D. Fishbein |
| author_sort | Harold D. Fishbein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | I believe that prejudice underlies the development of hatred toward various outgroups. Hence, in order to understand the origins of hatred, it is essential to understand the origins of prejudice. Our genetic/evolutionary heritage provides the initial push toward prejudice. My essential argument is that three sets of genetic/evolutionary processes that lead to prejudice and discrimination evolved in hunter-gatherer tribes. They were appropriate and necessary for that subsistence mode, which characterizes 99% of human existence. These three sets of processesinclusive fitness, authority-bearing systems, intergroup hostility are put into motion in nonhunter-gatherer contexts because they have been incorporated into our epigenetic systems. A fourth set of processes, outgroup attractiveness, which is based on the necessity of gene flow, to some extent counteracts the above processes and may lead to the reduction of prejudice and discrimination. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-15T00:47:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3e94053964034ae6a8eabf9fa583486a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2169-7442 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-15T00:47:38Z |
| publishDate | 2004-01-01 |
| publisher | Gonzaga Library Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Hate Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-3e94053964034ae6a8eabf9fa583486a2022-12-21T22:41:30ZengGonzaga Library PublishingJournal of Hate Studies2169-74422004-01-013111311910.33972/jhs.2424The Genetic/Evolutonary Basis of Prejudice and HatredHarold D. Fishbein0Department of Psychology, University of CincinnatiI believe that prejudice underlies the development of hatred toward various outgroups. Hence, in order to understand the origins of hatred, it is essential to understand the origins of prejudice. Our genetic/evolutionary heritage provides the initial push toward prejudice. My essential argument is that three sets of genetic/evolutionary processes that lead to prejudice and discrimination evolved in hunter-gatherer tribes. They were appropriate and necessary for that subsistence mode, which characterizes 99% of human existence. These three sets of processesinclusive fitness, authority-bearing systems, intergroup hostility are put into motion in nonhunter-gatherer contexts because they have been incorporated into our epigenetic systems. A fourth set of processes, outgroup attractiveness, which is based on the necessity of gene flow, to some extent counteracts the above processes and may lead to the reduction of prejudice and discrimination.https://jhs.press.gonzaga.edu/articles/24prejudicehatredintergroupauthority |
| spellingShingle | Harold D. Fishbein The Genetic/Evolutonary Basis of Prejudice and Hatred Journal of Hate Studies prejudice hatred intergroup authority |
| title | The Genetic/Evolutonary Basis of Prejudice and Hatred |
| title_full | The Genetic/Evolutonary Basis of Prejudice and Hatred |
| title_fullStr | The Genetic/Evolutonary Basis of Prejudice and Hatred |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Genetic/Evolutonary Basis of Prejudice and Hatred |
| title_short | The Genetic/Evolutonary Basis of Prejudice and Hatred |
| title_sort | genetic evolutonary basis of prejudice and hatred |
| topic | prejudice hatred intergroup authority |
| url | https://jhs.press.gonzaga.edu/articles/24 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT harolddfishbein thegeneticevolutonarybasisofprejudiceandhatred AT harolddfishbein geneticevolutonarybasisofprejudiceandhatred |