Diversity Ideologies and the Subtle Dehumanization of Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines

Indigenous peoples (IPs) in the Philippines continue to be targets of stereotypes and prejudice by non-IP Filipinos. The IPs in the Philippines are often described as being dehumanized by their social conditions and by the social practices of the dominant social group. This study explores the subtle dehumanization of three IPs (Igorots, Mangyans, Lumads) by measuring the attribution of traits associated with human nature and whether subtle dehumanization is negatively associated with two diversity ideologies: multiculturalism and polyculturalism. A sample of 534 non-IP Filipinos were asked to rate whether positive traits that were previously ascribed as high or low characteristics of human nature (HN) were typical of Filipinos in general, of Igorots, Mangyans, and Lumads. Participants’ outgroup knowledge of each IP group, social dominance orientation, egalitarianism, essentializing race, polyculturalism, and multiculturalism were measured. The results show that high-HN traits were attributed less to IP groups compared to Filipinos, but low-HN traits were attributed more to Igorots. Three relative dehumanization indices (RDIs) were computed; across all IP groups, RDIs were associated with lower polyculturalism but not multiculturalism. The implications of how polyculturalism relates to less subtle dehumanization of IP groups in the Philippines are discussed.