Philip Zimbardo- The Lucifer Effect- Part 10

*WARNING*- This video contains explicit images

To watch the complete presentation please see the Lucifer Effect on the PLMS website:

http://isites.harvard.edu:80/icb/icb.do?keyword=k13943&pageid=icb.page205767
(Run TIme Approx. 100 min.)

Professor Zimbardo's talk takes its audience on a journey through the psychological processes of character transformation that are engaged when ordinary, good people turn into perpetrators of evil.

The abuses and tortures of Abu Ghraib prison serve as the case study for understanding such horrors not as the work of a few bad apples, but rather as the consequence of a set of identifiable Situational variables and Systemic forces of the "bad barrel" and the "bad barrel makers".

PLMS
http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb.do?keyword=k13943&pageid=icb.page63708

The Situationist Blog
http://thesituationist.wordpress.com/

The Lucifer Effect
http://www.lucifereffect.com/index.html

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Lucifer
• Effect
• Philip
• Phil
• Zimbardo
• Evil
• Good
• Heroes
• Psychology
• Obedience
• Abu
• Ghraib
• Stanford
• Prison
• Experiment
• Situationism
• Behavior

[noeau5]

I wish Philip Zimbardo would go further in explaining why there is no "moral outrage" from law students or law professionals when the constitution is being undercut. There was a Bill Moyer's program w/ two legislative experts, but can psychology explain this phenomenon? Is it fear of retribution, or competition from other media? Some kind of group paralysis? Can anyone shed some light on why there was no impeachment movement, etc? Is there some group psychology answer to lack of response?

[PawnBACM]

Outrage doesn't pay the bills so well. What's more, it is easy to become the "enemy" as well. One, especially without affluence, influence, or a significant following, need be prepared to become a martyr, figuratively and possibly literally, to be sacrificed on the altar of "democracy" and "religion". Life is short and kissing the rights people's asses will take a person and their progeny a long ways unless impediments are in place to further a legitimate system.

[Dragdamar]

@noeau5 I believe that it is, in part, not affecting them directly so they take no action. It's like this: First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.

[manthasagittarius]

@noeau5 Zimbardo seems to be maintaining a moderately flexible sliding position between psychological analysis, political commentary, and a bit of policy advocacy. I don't see how he could keep it just to pure social psych theory as applied . . . but I don't think he's in a position to explain the lack of response you mention without a lot of separate analysis, and to remain responsible to his professional stance, he should not slide from explanation to accusation on that issue in any case.

[malkooth]

I love love love how Professor Zimbardo uses "real" language to describe what is bullshit behavior. Bravo Professor.

[Andromeda680]

@noeau5 i think that people divorce themselves personally and morally from things they feel expected or obligated to do. like, "oh, this is just business, not personal". business transactions require the observer to objectify the situation as well as depersonalize themselves from it, and look at it amorally to be efficient.

why the conscience fails to kick in while in this cold, dutiful mode is the question.