Steve Loughnan

Steve Loughnan is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Edinburgh's School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences. His research focuses on dehumanization, objectification, and human-animal relations, exploring how societal and psychological factors influence moral judgments and behaviors. He teaches undergraduate courses on social psychology, experimental/applied social psychology, and social class, and supervises PhD students in related fields.

Research interests include:

• Dehumanization of social and ethnic outgroups
• Psychological impacts of objectification on women and marginalized groups
• Moral psychology of meat consumption and animal treatment
• Effects of economic inequality on societal attitudes
• Anthropomorphism in human-AI and human-pet relationships

His publications analyze topics like the psychological mechanisms behind meat consumption paradoxes, the role of dehumanization in conflict scenarios, and the ethical implications of AI romance. He has received no explicitly listed awards but has been widely cited in social psychology domains.

Teaching includes year-long programs on social psychology principles, experimental research methods, and social class analysis. Office hours are held weekly to support students. His work bridges theoretical social psychology with applied issues in global inequality, environmental ethics, and veterinary mental health.