Question

Write and explain your reflections on the Psychology of Evil by Phillip Zimbardo (TedTalk). Please atleast 4 pages

Answer 1

Philip Zimbardo in this Ted talk talks about that it is easy for good people to turn into bad people and how this line between good and evil is permeable and vice versa. This process exists in this world as there is a balance of energy like yin and yang. He explains this by taking an example of Lucifer. Lucifer was gods favorite angel but for some reason was sent to a dark place and then turns into an evil. Based on this he calls this effect as Lucifer effect. He says that that is why God created hell to keep evil there.

He explains that 'Evil' is the exercise of the power to intentionally harm people physically and psychologically. He studies the prison Abu Gharib where prisoners were subjected to extreme atrocity. He inquired about the incidents of abuse from the authority who replied that this is happening as there are few bad apples. based on the hypothesis of few bad apples he begins to study a dozen reports, personally met some of the soldiers he also studied the pictures taken by soldiers. This place was a Tier 1 A cell. here the prisoners were kept on interrogation hold.

Zimbardo is asking these research questions- what is responsible for turning people into evil? He proclaims that it could be the what kind of people in the behavioural context or is it the situational forces.He begins to find out how would a psychologist understand such transformation of human character?

He breaks the angles for research into;

1) Dispositional- this means looking at the inside of individuals. Who are termed as bad apples? According to him, this is the foundation of social c science.

2) What are the external factors turning people into bad people?

3) He looks at Systemic influencers like political, economic, legal power.

4) He observes that this is a dynamic process as in what do people bring in the system.It is basically about the infinite capacity of the human mind to a kind or cruel, caring or indifferent, creative or destructive and make us villains or heroes.

Finally, his study reveals seven social processes that create the ground for people becoimg evil;

1)mindlessly taking the first small step.

2) Dehumanization of others.

3) De-individuation of self this means covering ones identity by wearing uniform or wearing mask or paintiaing oneself like a tribe.

4) Diffusion of personal responsibility.

5) Blind obedience to authority.

6) Uncritical conformity to group norms.

7) Passive tolerance of evil through inaction or indifference. This more happens in a new situation where you personality morality is disengaged.

It is not just that he explains how easy is it for people to turn bad but he also explains how easy is it to be a hero and how one can rise to the challenge.He says that telling the kids that they are 'the heroes in the waiting' keeps them away from being evil. They are supposed to act sociocentrically and not egocentrically. So when kids are taught stories about Superman, Spiderman or any other superhero is trying to inculcate the desirable behavior of conforming to social norms and being a hero when there is a challenging situation in front of you.