Opening Our Eyes to Human Suffering

Philip Zimbardo on Good People Participating in Evil

• Zimbardo was the researcher behind the “Stanford Prison Experiment.” • Situational forces influence individual behavior . Argues that a full understanding of the dynamics of human behavior requires that we recognize the extent and limits of personal power, situational power, and systemic power. • The Lucifer Effect was his attempt to understand the processes of transformation at work when good or ordinary people do bad or evil things. We will deal with the fundamental question “What makes people go wrong?” Research sought to understand the nature of their character transformations when they are faced with powerful situational forces.