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 them as out-group members.

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The Army Reserve guards' belief that the detainees were dangerous Islamic terrorists may have contributed to their mistreatment, as it allowed them to justify or rationalize their actions and view the detainees as enemies rather than human beings deserving of basic rights and respect. This is known as the "out-group homogeneity effect," where individuals tend to perceive members of an out-group as more similar and less diverse than members of their own group, leading to dehumanization and prejudice.

The Army Reserve Guards' Belief That the Abu Ghraib Detainees