What Makes Us Human??
Lets make a list of the following human aspects.
• Physical: Biological aspects
• Psychological: our mind as a function of awareness and
emotion
• Social: relationships with others and function in
community
Make a chart like the one below:
What
separates us
from
animals?
Physical
Psychological
Social
Possible Answers
• Physical: opposable thumbs, walk upright, able
to have a conversation
• Psychological: high level of intelligence, able to
forgive, able to value, able to reason, able to
solve problems
• Social: able to love, need for acceptance, need
for respect, need for others
Abraham Maslow
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•
•
•
He was smart but shy, and
remembered his childhood as lonely
and rather unhappy. Maslow went to
graduate school at the University of
Wisconsin to study psychology.
He began investigating primate
dominance behavior and sexuality.
He found two mentors whom he
admired both professionally and
personally. These two were so
accomplished and such "wonderful
human beings" that Maslow began
taking notes about them and their
behavior.
This would be the basis of his lifelong
research and thinking about mental
health and human potential.
Maslow’s
Hierarchy of
Needs
DEFINITION
Dehumanization: To deprive
of human qualities such as
individuality and compassion.
It is a psychological, gradual
process.
Dehumanizing Behaviors:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
What are some behaviors or actions that can
dehumanize another individual?
Stereotyping
Degrading
Verbal abuse
Physical abuse
Racism
Discrimination
Harassment/Sexual or otherwise
Denial of rights
A Few Facts…
• When a person is continually
dehumanized, their human qualities are
being slowly stripped away.
• They become angry, more apt to lash out
at others, alienate themselves from others,
feel unloved, and the process can worsen
from this point on.
• They began to express dehumanized
behaviors.
Consider the Stages of
Hitler’s “Final Solution”
Esteem Needs
 Jewish Jobs are
boycotted then taken
away
 “Nuremberg Laws”
proclaim Jews as secondclass citizens
 Jews are forced to wear a
yellow star.
Safety Needs
 Rumors of Hitler's plans
to exterminate Jews.
 Deportation
concentration camps.
Love Needs
 Families are
separated.
 Prisoners are treated
cruelly
Biological Needs
 Food is rationed & then
completely taken away
 Forced to suffered winter
conditions without warmth
Example:
• Explanation
• Dehumanized
Behavior
• Anxious,
afraid,
• They beat
stressed,
Madame
nervous
Schächter: (ch.
2 pg. 24)
Individual Assignment
• Locate 7 examples of how the prisoners are
dehumanized and how they exhibit
dehumanized behaviors.
• Make a chart explaining whether or not the
conflict used to dehumanize is internal
(psychological) or external (physical).
• Write an explanation for each example
explaining exactly why the prisoners are
behaving in an inhumane way. (Your
answers should reflect how the prisoners
are demonstrating the slow deterioration
of their human qualities).
External and Internal Conflicts
Dehumanized behavior
Type of Conflict
Conflict used to
Dehumanize
Franek wants Elie’s golden
crown possibly to sell for
more food. He beats Elie’s
father until Elie gives in.
external
SS starve prisoners