In the book The Lucifer Effect, renowned psychologist Phillip Zimbardo seeks a reason as for why inherently good people may turn evil. He argues that rather than initial nature, situational forces are the ones that may push a person over the edge to do horrible things. He also describes a “slippery slope” toward evilness, including the dehumanization of others, de-individualization of oneself, conformity, and blind obedience to authority.
Zimbardo’s main argument throughout the entire book was the fact that evil is driven by situational forces. He uses an experiment he conducted called the Stanford Prison Experiment, where he models a prison situation in the basement of the Jordan Hall Building at Stanford University. 18 volunteers took part. 9 acted as prisoners and 9 acted as guards. A few days into the experiment, Zimbardo began to notice disturbing behaviour come from the subjects. Many of the prisoners behaved disobediently, and went as far as to cause a rebellion, forcing the guards to use extreme authoritative measures. After this, many of the guards repeatedly harassed some of the prisoners, using physical punishment and exercises, such as pushups, in order to show their authority to the prisoners, verbally abusing the prisoners, and at times sexually harassing them. The over use of solitary confinement was …show more content…
In chapter 12, Zimbardo discusses the power of conformity, and how a need to belong and fit in had also sparked the atrocities in the Stanford Prison Experiment. He claims that “peer pressure has been identified as one situational force that makes people, especially adolescents do strange things—anything—to be accepted.” He also cited an example of a 45 year old mother who had had sex with underage teenagers and provided them with drugs and alcohol simply because she wanted to be a “cool mom” and justified her desire as she was not popular in high school and longed for that kind of
Zimbardo’s main argument throughout the entire book was the fact that evil is driven by situational forces. He uses an experiment he conducted called the Stanford Prison Experiment, where he models a prison situation in the basement of the Jordan Hall Building at Stanford University. 18 volunteers took part. 9 acted as prisoners and 9 acted as guards. A few days into the experiment, Zimbardo began to notice disturbing behaviour come from the subjects. Many of the prisoners behaved disobediently, and went as far as to cause a rebellion, forcing the guards to use extreme authoritative measures. After this, many of the guards repeatedly harassed some of the prisoners, using physical punishment and exercises, such as pushups, in order to show their authority to the prisoners, verbally abusing the prisoners, and at times sexually harassing them. The over use of solitary confinement was …show more content…
In chapter 12, Zimbardo discusses the power of conformity, and how a need to belong and fit in had also sparked the atrocities in the Stanford Prison Experiment. He claims that “peer pressure has been identified as one situational force that makes people, especially adolescents do strange things—anything—to be accepted.” He also cited an example of a 45 year old mother who had had sex with underage teenagers and provided them with drugs and alcohol simply because she wanted to be a “cool mom” and justified her desire as she was not popular in high school and longed for that kind of