The psychology of evil | Philip Zimbardo

www.ted.com Philip Zimbardo knows how easy it is for nice people to turn bad. In this talk, he shares insights and graphic unseen photos from the Abu Ghraib trials. Then he talks about the flip side: how easy it is to be a hero, and how we can rise to the challenge.
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[@RandoPandaSmiles]

He managed to fit a semester's worth of material in to 23 minutes. Crazy. Loved his passion. He touched on so many good points. Excellent speech!

[@A_Dopamine_Molecule]

When I saw the picture at 1:23 I immediately saw the world of demons, and even after he mentioned there were angels, I had trouble noticing them... I hope this isn't a sign of any underlying psychological issues.

[@georgiegirlize]

I think there is a lot of misunderstanding of Phil Zimbardo's thesis .He is not denying 'evil' impulses in anyone - or heroic either - he is explaining that they are not exclusive....It is very comforting for us to think we are 'good' people and these others are 'bad ' people - the fact is there are just people - and what transforms you is the siutation. This can begin early in life, upbringing is situational.., there may be genetic factors - but ultimately evil needs a fertile soil to grow..

[@killertye]

I stopped some bloke from jumping off a bridge. It was in broad daylight. I couldn't believe how many ppl had already drove past him, with nobody pulling over. Even the person i was with didnt want to know. I wouldnt say im a good person, but it just felt natural to go and stop him. Lot of selfish ppl in the world

[@syystomu]

This is exactly what happens all the time in schools and work places... this is exactly how bullying works.

[@Suertsje]

Amazing... he married the woman who made him realise the immorrality of his own project and his responsibility to stop it.

[@TheRealArngrim]

TED... I have to sleep...

[@SabreKitteh]

I saw the devils first in that Escher thing. Thought they were just bats at first.

[@snowwolfsabertooth]

this is super important. I would love to talk negatively after this and talk about all the "righteous people" and "normal people" to blame. But I will go only this far. If any of you want things different, you have to, like Zimbardo said, not be afraid to act out. That takes time to learn. Our human instinct is to not stick out, follow what everyone is doing. Evil spreads that way. It's ok if it doesn't work out at first... learn, and break the cycle. I hope everyone can do that.

[@lleverfreell]

Zimbardo is arguably one of the most influential figures in psychology, and this talk was highly inspirational. This made my day.

[@Nancy21Rappaccini]

Power is the key word here. When I researched this atrocity, I found out that England was being abused by her boyfriend. Putting people into a situation like this is going to end badly, because of a thirst for power.

[@Samoaqueen]

That guy's breathing is killing me. I'm going to need him to take care of himself :( Brilliant work though.

[@BoozyBeggar]

Well, I know now why there wasn't more outrage at the Abu Ghraib story. I wasn't in the least bit outraged based on the few pictures that were actually shown in the news. News media should FUCKING NEVER censor photos like these (even though, according to the video, a lot of the photos were censored even here). Reality should never be shied away from. These are the horrors we have inflicted on prisoners, FUCKING REPORT THEM PROPERLY!!!

[@r0galik]

He doesn't look 75

[@Dumass88]

I don't mind that he used metaphors from the bible. The mythology of many religions are based on human psychology, I believe his goal was to make his concept more understandable for broad audiences. However, this was a fascinating presentation. The basic message is something I've long understood, but this gave more depth and insight to the mechanics. It's worthwhile reflecting on his message. I wonder though, am I alone in seeing parallels on behaviour on the internet? Good video.

[@egodrive]

zimbardo unraveled the psychology of morality - thank you

[@genome468]

i saw the demons before the angels too. does that mean i look for evil first? or i am to quick to see the evil or blinded by it that i dont see the good in people first?

[@truvelocity]

He was the one responsible for that prison study I had to learn from in psychology class... Wow.

[@1z4h3i0]

I got to see him do this talk at my high school! it was so awesome!!!!

[@nathanVegetable]

@florydory A man who scores 10, 20 and 30 on a test would be appreciative of a 60. A man who scores 70, 80, and 90 on a test would view 60 as terrible. You only can view things based on past experiences, and without a "lower" experience, you would have no reason to view something as "beautiful" or a "higher" experience, because you've had nothing lesser to compare it to. If every single hill on this planet was an "amazing scenic view", you would not think it so amazing.

[@MrDinoSayRawr]

man he brings up great points

[@briansmobile1]

@boing3887 I agree. I turned off the sound for that part. It brings into question credibility and bias.

[@Terrible_Peril]

i just finished watching this a second time. i'm crying, i feel outraged, ashamed, enlightened and inspired. words, especially when spoken by a person with real experience with some of the more extreme situations one may come across, carry immense weight with me. this was just the recharge i needed to continue down the path i've chosen, and to prepare me for the difficult task of doing the right thing in the face of blinding peer numbness at every turn.

[@Rantandreason]

THIS is why I love he TED Talks!

[@theendofconfusion]

This is my favorite talk.

[@LexAcademic]

Zimbardo is amazing. He is an inspiration. Those photos horrified me... I will always try to do my best to advocate goodness!

[@temyca]

Great vid. learned a lot. still studying his book

[@DarkZeroVenarius]

A nice hint in there is the fact that it's the best way to make "healing" evil people unnecessary. It's always better to prevent them from getting "ill"/evil. This can only be aquired by changing the situation and the values of the current society.

[@lleverfreell]

What do you mean, he should "see the humanity"? This is what social psychology is about - showing how humanity is significantly shaped and affected by the environment. And besides, he's done hundreds of talks by now about the subject. He still conveys passion in what he's saying. What, are you expecting him to cry buckets every time he talks about this?

[@yerk3]

The part about self de-individuation reminds me of the Man with No Eyes from Cool Hand Luke. Having a recognizable face gives people something to grab onto mentally, and pulls them up to your level, hide the face and you become something other than human, something without human emotion and the limits that it imposes, capable of anything. I think this is why masks are inherently creepy.

[@antifolkhero]

Great lecture.

[@BVletto]

this is so interesting. thanks for posting. i totally agree with zimbardo... in fact french philosopher Sartre had some similar views on the subject

[@Luxmans]

Great video, one of my favourites, I think.

[@sdpadresfan]

Bravo. This is so great!

[@marvy1118]

Zimbardo is leaving out the fact that some 'guards' were sadistic and others weren't.

[@redryan20000]

I can't stop seeing the demons... I can't see the angels

[@miro2424]

Evil is the exercice of power to intentionally harm people psychologically, to hurt people physically, to destroy people morally.

[@DinaStrange]

Great video! Applaud.

[@Gaberinskii]

haha i love how he married the lady who shutdown his experiment, classic.

[@Terrible_Peril]

well put.

[@NoNameArtist89]

Can anybody please give some background information? I would like to understand why Zimbardo seemed to be in a rush ...

[@marvy1118]

"There is good and bad in everyone." Paul McCartney, "Ebony and Ivory"

[@Rhyseeboy]

Absolute GENIUS

[@SophiesMinion]

It comes down to the moral math we all commit, how we calculate how much personal responsible we have for an action. It is as if subconsciously people reason that if you slice the responsibility for an action small enough, then you can simply round that number down to zero, round it right down to no personal responsibility at all, even if you have the personal power to stop the act.

[@JohnKaczmarek]

If you watched more TEDtalks you would know they are limited on time (usually 18 min I think). He's talking fast because he doesn't have enough time. You are also wrong about heroism. He is defining the heroism AS right action. You (and generally speaking the media) are the one who is adding the celebrity status aspect of to the definition. He's talking about "everyday heroes" the one who never get recognized. You should also look into the Stanford experiments more before go passing judgement.

[@magicznawiertara]

must admit that thats a great one.

[@theazn07]

i saw the demons before i saw the angels O_O

[@StopFear]

Often.

[@AstralFrost]

The whole "bad apple" thing is hilarious because it's always assumed that the bad apples are the guys at the bottom. Even though evil people gravitate towards power! People are fundamentally illogical, irrational, and they will believe what they are told because otherwise they risk disrupting their personal sense of security. You get what you ask for in life. If you are bound and determined to be lulled into believing whatever the talking picture box says, then you must accept the dangers.

[@theendofconfusion]

Best TED ever.

[@tjcooney99]

evil can also be defined as the absence of good

[@TheGuider]

Loved it.

[@sergiolopezOU]

I don't think he is saying that power is bad, I think what he says is that in order to do evil, you have to use and exert a certain amount of power onto those you want to do evil to. Think about it, if you don't have power of any kind, can you really do evil?

[@jennych]

God, I've watched so many of his cheesy Psychology videos... But learned so much! I love him! :D

[@Jessecraft1954]

@PurpleHoneyBear I agree. False security is sometimes one's worst enemy. I've even seen fellow students in grad school who made good grade by being no more than trained parakeets to egotistical teachers. Being encouraged to think for one's self was frowned upon. Group psychology really played a key role. It was a sad thing to see. And this was education? I thought it was a poor excuse and a poor university. I stood up for my beliefs and left that loser so-called school.

[@tydees]

Loved it when you came to Victoria, Camosun College.

[@LordBLB]

"The sinews of war are money, money, and yet more money" -Cicero Cutting that, is the ONLY way to fight militaries in today's modern world.

[@rooyuan]

They should put subtitles

[@Inceptions661]

Impressive. A little to think about...

[@sebastiaanbronk]

Maurits Cornelis Escher (17 June 1898 27 March 1972), usually referred to as M. C. Escher (IPA: ['ɛsxəɾ]), was a Dutch graphic artist. He is known for his often mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs and mezzotints. These feature impossible constructions, explorations of infinity, architecture and tessellations. Swedish damn!!!

[@XEpikurX]

"The potential lies within us all..." ...that's very true - you always have a choice...but it's better to create structures and circumstances inside a society where "ordinary" people must not choose or act like heroes to defend humanity... ...better than building prisons day after day...that's point, isn't it?

[@RevJoshua]

Very interesting.

[@09AHT]

wow! he's so goos... makes you wonder about human nature and what we would do if we were placed in a situation of power

[@Icemario87]

@marvy1118 What you watched was a summary of a 2 hour presentation. He left a lot of things out.

[@knocknak]

and i married her the next year hahaha!

[@doloppost]

Breathe, Philip, Breathe!

[@XxPepperMintxX]

omy goodness those images are horrifying...can't believe that the actions the Dr. Zimbardo once experimented in a study are still existent but only in the worst way possible.. i did not buy his theory about power overcomes humanity but this says it all....

[@mavaddat]

Yeah, maybe you're right, Zetimenvec. I think I was mistaken. Neutral is a good descriptor of Anonymous. In general though, anonymity does changes people's behaviour... and usually, for the worst.

[@nobody013]

The Devil was not involved in the production of this film. There were no obvious or certified demon possessions. Only Human beings possessed of indifference towards their fellow human beings. Human beings who erroneously saw (and continue to see) cultural differences as physical rather than superficial. Human beings who gloried in their power of death over life.

[@Drekora]

@lokichippy by doing so though, he's teaching to bring people towards the moral side. I think if you're right, he's making amends with the past, he's becoming a better person.

[@vikkehxx]

Cant even see the Angles.

[@permanentlydeleted]

Circumstances don't CAUSE people to be evil. People already have evil in them. Rather certain situations make people feel as though they can exercise the evil with impunity. Creating more accountability is good for our society, but it will by no means eliminate evil the exists within the hearts of mankind.

[@florydory]

@veget00tegev >if every single hill on this planet was an "amazing scenic view" you would not think it so amazing< I don't agree. Maslow observed people of note whom he considered to be "self actualized" (content, successful and self determining). He marveled that this group never seemed to tire of life, and had “the capacity to appreciate the sunrise or sunset or nature again and again.” The habit of comparing experiences then ranking them in the order of appreciation they deserve is learned

[@permanentlydeleted]

In order to be truly comprehensive you are correct. However it would not be too difficult to study several modern cultures and study cultures of the past through literature, and I would be very surprised if you would find anything different. These evil "environments" people talk of had to start somewhere with some one or some people group, they did not just spontaneously appear.

[@jak1428]

wasnt escher dutch?

[@Wiggyify]

i am HIGHLY disturbed...i cannot believe this HAPPPENS normal americans do this? prisoners are so humilated this is disgusting

[@quinns26]

@squonk61 you missed the point completely.

[@pagancornflake]

Really? Quite and achievement to become accredited at 21 years of age. Where did you study? As a former psychology student myself, I would be interested in examining the syllabus of an empirical psychology course (or any empirical science for that matter) which espouses such concepts as 'good' and 'evil'.

[@precisionbones]

his example here is all about torture, what those guys are being subjected to is torture. I know i wouldn't subject someone to anything similar. Though I'm fully conscious of the time in my life where I would not have been awake enough to resist.

[@taotapp]

Mm, at 7:20, they go into this. It isn't who is responsible, but what is responsible. The soldiers were probably just regular people who became caught up in their role as prison guards. It was a rather perfect example of the power of the situation in action, I think. Bah. I guess what I'm saying is, blaming a few people for this isn't the right way to look at this case, in my opinion.

[@qttytn]

@thodal2000 My interpretation is that he was tying in drugs as a symptom of greater social problems in that community, rather than demonising the act of drug use itself

[@fuckingeveryname]

Great.

[@jerzkid87]

pause at 16:53... really think about that!

[@mbdillon]

People of today, the same people who might criticize this gift of free will, advocate the whole protection of our freedoms in our democratic society. Speaking to all of those living in a free enough culture to have these conversations in a public forum, these freedoms that we fight for and adhere to are no different, and in fact pale in comparison to the total freedom of choice. Without choice, there would be no experiences, no advancement, and no life left in being alive.

[@VelveetaBoy]

You know he's on a time limit, yeah? That's why he is rushing.

[@CrashGames2108]

I think that would also imply existing morals being founded on authority. For example parent's morals, religious authority, etc.

[@KillahB89]

HEH Everyone needs to see this. Very well presented. Its funny because I just had a hour debate with my sis about this very topic. To say the least she falls into the "passive" state.

[@gusphraba]

I agree. Also gave it an amateur impression. And the Leonardo image wasn't a good idea either.

[@EggoROFLS]

I agree with you. The question people should be asking themselves is "why should I believe in God?" and not "why not?" I have not seen a shard of compelling evidence for the existence of a higher being. Religion is an anodyne for uncertainty, but it also limits the mind. There is nothing wrong with accepting the fact that there are things we don't, and may never know.

[@Serpreme]

Just because people who are high profile, can do something wrong, doesn't mean everyone who is in a position of authority will be corrupted. People who are farmers and who bag your food are just as likely to do something "Evil". It may also have something to do with the fact they seek power, that some of those people are mentally conditioned to do violence. Its like how you will find violent people in jail, or who box.

[@LordBLB]

"I bet you don't even know what a strawman is in this context." -presenting a misrepresentation of the opponent's position and then refuting it, would be the one you're using.

[@qttytn]

@thodal2000 can you give me the time in the video?

[@TheGoukaruma]

M.C: Escher was dutch, not swiss.

[@KyleMcDermott3]

I recently watched that million part series he did 20 some years ago and his body has gone downhill. It's amazing such brilliant individuals can't (don't) take care of their temple.

[@mikeyo1234]

"good" and "evil" can also be subjective. He said American soldiers are usually "good". I presume then that any soldiers who fight against them are "bad". Surely the people on the other side think that THEY are "good"? Also people are not ALL bad or ALL good. His account is very black and white and doesn't show much understanding of good and evil. The Stanford Prison experiment surely says it all already.

[@thodal2000]

@qttytn The part where he describes his friends in a Dr. Jekyll /Mr. Hyde scenario and proceeds to relate their drug use as evidence of Jekyll/Hyde. @:30

[@d30few]

I couldn't tell. I figured since you know everything you might be able to shed light on the subject! haha

[@DancingSpiderman]

@severrin like the ATF at Wacko Texas

[@jocosus]

Unfortunately, "frowned upon" was not enough to deter them from doing it.

[@adolthitler]

I saw a flash of the mic cord behind his neck and thought he was wearing his shirt while it was still on a wire hanger.