Bullying isn’t just about mean words or physical harm, it often begins with something more subtle: dehumanization.
What Happens When We Stop Seeing People as People
When someone is viewed as “less than”—as a stereotype instead of a person—the barriers to cruelty disappear. Dehumanization is the psychological process of stripping someone of their identity and reducing them to a label: the weird kid, the angry girl, the loner, the problem. Once that happens, bullying becomes easier to justify, excuse, and ignore.
Whether it’s happening in school hallways, digital spaces, or adult workplaces, the effects are devastating.
Why it matters:
Dehumanization makes it easier to emotionally abuse, socially exclude, and psychologically harm someone, because the bully no longer sees their target as fully human. This mindset paves the way for everything from covert bullying and emotional bullying to more extreme forms of cyberbullying and harassment.
Real-world impact:
Victims of bullying often report feeling invisible, voiceless, or “less than.” These aren’t just feelings, they’re symptoms of ongoing psychological harm. In many cases, the damage can lead to long-term trauma, including anxiety, depression, and complex PTSD.
Watch the video to learn how dehumanization shows up in bullying—and what we can do to interrupt the cycle.
