psychology of evil

Evil

Behaving in ways that harm, abuse, demean, dehumanize, or destroy innocent others.

Dispositional view

Evil results from individual personality traits, such as the 'bad apple' theory.

Situational approach

Evil results from external influences, including authority, group dynamics, and social roles.

Abu Ghraib scandal

A case illustrating situational influences on evil, where soldiers engaged in torture due to obedience and dehumanization.

Enhanced interrogation techniques

Authorized methods used by the U.S. government including abdominal slap, facial slap, and waterboarding.

Milgram's obedience study

Demonstrates that authority figures can pressure individuals into harmful acts by shifting responsibility.

Bystander effect

Individuals are less likely to help in emergencies when others are present due to diffusion of responsibility.

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

A three-stage process of stress response: Alarm, Resistance, Exhaustion.

Coping with extreme stress

Psychological strategies include confrontation, distancing, and seeking social support.

Types of Holocaust bystanders

Identified by Bar-On: opportunist, street bystander, ideologically-oriented, and others.

Elie Wiesel on bystanders

He stated that silence of the bystander hurts the victim most, not the cruelty of the oppressor.

Stanford Prison Experiment

Demonstrates situational influences on behavior, similar to abuses at Abu Ghraib.

Milgram’s studies and Holocaust

Show how individuals obey harmful orders framed as necessary by authority figures.

Bystander effect in historical contexts

Explains inaction during atrocities due to diffusion of responsibility and pluralistic ignorance.

Dehumanization in evil acts

Portraying victims as less than human to justify cruelty and reduce empathy.

Stress and moral decision-making

Chronic stress can impair cognitive function, leading to ethical rationalization.

Authority figures

Individuals in power who can influence others to commit harmful acts.

Obedience to authority

The tendency to comply with orders from those perceived as having power.

Diffusion of responsibility

A social phenomenon where individuals feel less compelled to act when others are present.

Role expectations

Socially defined norms that dictate appropriate behavior in specific roles.

Deindividuation

Loss of self-awareness in groups which can lead to uncharacteristic behavior.

Moral disengagement

A state where individuals distance themselves from moral standards, allowing harmful actions.

Social roles

Expected behaviors and attitudes associated with particular positions in a society.

Confrontation as a coping strategy

Facing the stressor directly to manage and overcome it.

Seeking social support

Looking for assistance or comfort from friends, family, or peers.

Positive reappraisal

Reframing a negative experience in a more positive light as a coping mechanism.

Psychological trauma

Emotional and psychological harm caused by overwhelming stressful events.

Historical atrocities

Mass acts of violence or cruelty during events like the Holocaust and Rwandan genocide.

Moral responsibility

The obligation to act ethically and consider the consequences of one’s actions.

Emotional detachment

A coping mechanism where individuals numb their emotional responses to stressful situations.