psychology of evil

Psychology of Evil Flashcards

1. Definition of Evil (Zimbardo)
Q: How does Zimbardo define evil?
A: Evil consists in intentionally behaving in ways that harm, abuse, demean, dehumanize, or destroy innocent others – or using one’s authority and systemic power to encourage or permit others to do so on your behalf.

2. The Causes of Evil
Q: What are the two primary perspectives on the causes of evil?
A:

• Dispositional view: Evil results from individual personality traits (e.g., the "bad apple" theory).

• Situational approach: Evil results from external influences (e.g., authority, group dynamics, social roles).

3. Abu Ghraib & Authority
Q: How does the Abu Ghraib scandal illustrate situational influences on evil?
A: Soldiers engaged in torture due to obedience to authority, dehumanization of prisoners, and a permissive system that encouraged abuse.

4. Enhanced Interrogation Techniques
Q: What are some examples of "enhanced interrogation techniques" authorized by the U.S. government?
A: Abdominal slap, attention grasp, dietary manipulation, facial slap, stress positions, wall standing, waterboarding.

5. The Role of Obedience
Q: What psychological principle explains why people obey harmful orders?
A: Milgram’s obedience study shows that authority figures can pressure individuals into committing harmful acts by shifting responsibility away from the individual.

6. The Bystander Effect (Kitty Genovese Case)
Q: What did the Darley & Latané (1968) study reveal about the bystander effect?
A: Individuals are less likely to help in emergencies when others are present due to diffusion of responsibility and social influence.

7. Psychological Effects of Stress
Q: What is Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) model?
A: A three-stage process of stress response:

1. Alarm (initial reaction)

2. Resistance (adaptation)

3. Exhaustion (breakdown)

8. Coping & Surviving Trauma
Q: What are some psychological strategies for coping with extreme stress?
A: Confrontation, distancing, self-control, acceptance, planful problem-solving, positive reappraisal, seeking social support, endurance, compartmentalization.

9. Holocaust Bystanders
Q: What are the 10 types of Holocaust bystanders identified by Bar-On (2001)?
A: Opportunist, street bystander, ideologically-oriented, career, institutionalized-rational, professional, enlightened professional, distant, other-hating, emotionally-related.

10. Ethical Implications of Bystanding
Q: What did Elie Wiesel (1986) say about bystanders?
A: "What hurts the victim the most is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the bystander."

11. Stanford Prison Experiment & Abu Ghraib
Q: How does the Stanford Prison Experiment relate to the abuses at Abu Ghraib?
A: Both demonstrate the power of situational influences on behavior. In both cases, individuals placed in positions of authority (guards) engaged in abusive behavior due to role expectations, deindividuation, and lack of accountability.

12. Milgram's Study & The Holocaust
Q: How do Milgram’s obedience experiments help explain the role of ordinary people in the Holocaust?
A: Milgram’s findings show that individuals can obey harmful orders when authority figures frame actions as necessary and shift responsibility away from individuals, mirroring how Nazi soldiers followed orders despite moral conflicts.

13. Bystander Effect & Historical Events
Q: How does the bystander effect explain inaction during genocides and mass atrocities?
A: The diffusion of responsibility and pluralistic ignorance contribute to inaction, as seen in cases like the Holocaust, Rwandan genocide, and the murder of Kitty Genovese. Individuals assume others will intervene, leading to collective passivity.

14. Dehumanization & Justification of Harm
Q: What role does dehumanization play in enabling evil acts?
A: By portraying victims as less than human (e.g., Nazis calling Jews "vermin," U.S. military referring to enemies as "targets"), perpetrators justify cruelty, reducing empathy and moral restraint.

15. Stress & Moral Decision-Making
Q: How does stress impact moral decision-making in high-pressure environments?
A: Chronic stress can impair cognitive function, leading to moral disengagement, desensitization, and rationalization of unethical actions, as seen in soldiers, law enforcement, and corporate scandals.