The Army Reserve guards' belief that the Abu Ghraib detainees were dangerous Islamic terrorists may have contributed to their mistreatment of the detainees, because it allowed them to dehumanize the prisoners and categorize themas out-group members.

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This is supported by research on the psychology of intergroup conflict, which suggests that viewing members of an out-group as less than human is a key factor in justifying mistreatment or violence towards them. The idea that the detainees were Islamic terrorists may have reinforced the guards' perception of them as a dangerous and dehumanized out-group.

The Army Reserve Guards' Belief That the Abu Ghraib Detainees