Section A10: On Becoming Evil
Why do good people commit evil acts? This course will examine the factors that make it possible for normal, average people to carry out acts that most would consider "evil." Focusing on recent events such as abuse in the Abu Ghraib prison, we will consider the social-psychological processes that transform law-abiding citizens into torturers and killers. We will strive to understand how mechanisms such as deindividuation, dehumanization, conformity and obedience allow an individual to suspend his or her personal moral code in order to carry out acts of torture, terror and genocide. Readings will come from the social-psychological literature as well as accounts of real-world events. Of central concern will be the question of whether situational forces are sufficient to drive a good person to become cruel or whether the individual's character is at least partially responsible. We will also consider examples of individuals who have refused to participate in acts of cruelty and instead behaved heroically, sometimes at great risk to themselves.