"Good people have become fiends." An excerpt from the book organizer Stanford Prison Experiment

Philip Zimbardo - American social psychologist, the organizer of the famous Stanford Prison Experiment (STE). During it he divided the volunteers into guards and prisoners and put them in a makeshift jail. A team of researchers observed the behavior of people under the pressure of the circumstances.

The experiment did not last a week, although the time limit is 14 days. It soon became an improvised prison a living hell for those who played the role of prisoners. "Guards" were deprived of food and sleep, subjected to corporal punishment and humiliation. Many participants have begun a real health problem. Six days later, SHE was discontinued. Zimbardo found the strength to write a book on the experiment - "Lucifer Effect" - only 30 years later. Layfhaker publishes an excerpt from the tenth chapter of this book.

Why the situation is set

To a certain social environment, where there are powerful forces that human nature is sometimes exposed transformations, just as dramatically as in the remarkable stories of Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and about Mr. Hyde. Interest in the STE is maintained for several decades, in my opinion, it is due to the fact that this experiment has demonstrated tremendous "transformation nature "under the influence of situational forces - good people suddenly turned into fiends as guards or in pathologically passive victims role

prisoners.

Good people can be seduced, to push or force to do evil.

Yet they can be forced to irrational, stupid, self-destructive, anti-social and meaningless actions, especially in the "total situation" whose influence on human nature is contrary to a sense of stability and integrity of our personality, our character, our ethical principles.

We want to believe in the deep, unfailing goodness of people, in their ability to resist external pressure, evaluate rationally and reject the temptation situation. We give humanity godlike qualities, solid morals and mighty intelligenceThat make us fair and wise. We simplify the complexity of the human experience, erecting an impenetrable wall between good and evil, and this wall seems insurmountable. On one side of the wall - we, our offspring and households; on the other - they, their fiends and chelyadintsy. Paradoxically, creating the myth of the invulnerability of situational forces, we become more vulnerable as vigilant.

STE, along with many other studies in the social sciences (about them in chapters 12 and 13), reveals secrets that we do not want to know: almost every one of us can survive the transformation of nature, being at the mercy of powerful social forces. Our own conduct as we imagine, can not have anything to do with who we can become and that are able to make, once in the network situation. STE - battle cry, calling to abandon simplistic notions about what nice people more bad situations. We are able to avoid, prevent, resist and change the negative impact of such situations only If we acknowledge their potential ability to "infect" us in the same way as other people caught up in same situation. So that each of us is useful to remember the words of the Roman comedy of Terence: "Nothing human is alien to me."

We constantly need to be reminded of this behavioral transformation guards of Nazi concentration camps and members of destructive cults, such as Jim Jones' Peoples Temple and the Japanese sect "Aum". Genocide and horrendous atrocities happening in Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda, Burundi, and more recently - in the Darfur region of Sudan, also clearly It shows that under the pressure of social forces, abstract ideology of conquest and national security people easily refuse humanity and compassion.

Under the influence of bad circumstances, each of us could commit the worst act ever committed by man.

Understanding this does not justify evil; it is, so to speak, "democratizing" it blames on ordinary people, not counting the atrocities exclusive prerogative of deviants and despots - them, but not us.

The main lesson of Stanford Prison Experiment is very simple: the situation is important. Social situations are often more powerful influence on the behavior and thinking of individuals, groups and even the leaders of the nation, than we are accustomed to thinking. Some situations have on us such a strong influence that we are beginning to behave like they used to and could not imagine.

The power situation is most pronounced in the new environment in which we can not rely on previous experience and familiar patterns of behavior. In such situations, the usual reward system (reward structures) do not apply and expectations are not met. In such circumstances, personality variables have predictive value, because they depend on the assessment of the actions foreseen in the future, assessment based on the usual reactions in familiar situations, but not in a new situation, for example in the unfamiliar role of a security guard or prisoner.

Regulations create reality

Situational forces operating in STE, combines a variety of factors; none of them was not very important in itself, but the combination proved to be very powerful. One of the key factors were the rules. Rules - a formal, simplified way to manage an informal and challenging behavior. They are the external controller, helping to comply with the standards of conduct, show that it is necessary, acceptable and rewarded, and what is unacceptable and therefore punishable. Over time, the rules begin to live their own lives and support the official authorities, even when they are no longer needed, too vague or changed at the whim of their creators.

Referring to the "rules" of our guards could justify almost any abuses to the prisoners.

Recall, for example, what torments endured by our prisoners, memorizing a set of seventeen random rules devised by the guards and the head jail. Let us also remember the guards abused rule number 2 (stating that it is possible only during the meal) to punish Clay-416, refused to eat the sausages get covered in mud.

Some rules are necessary for the effective coordination of social behavior - for example, when the audience listening to the speakers, the drivers stop at a red light and no one tries to pass without queue. But many of the rules only protect the authority of those who create them or monitoring their compliance. And of course, always, as in this experiment, there is a final rule, which threatens punishment for violation of other rules. Therefore must be some forces or agents who are willing and able to carry out such a punishment - ideally in front of other people, to keep them from violations of the rules. At comedian Lenny Bruce was a fun interlude describing how to gradually emerge rules about who can and who can not throw shit over the fence into the territory of a neighbor. It describes the creation of a special police force, which monitors compliance with the rules of "no crap in my yard." Rules, as well as those who are watching their implementation, are always important elements in the situation of power. But it creates a system police and prison for those who are punished for breaking the rules.

Roles create reality

As soon as you put on the form and get this role, the job when you are told that "your job - to control these people," you are not the man who was in regular clothes and in another role. You really become a security guard as soon as you wear khaki uniforms and dark glasses, you take in your hands the baton and go on stage. It's your suit, and if you put it on, then you have to behave accordingly.

guard Hellman

When an actor plays the role of a fictional character, he often has to act against their personal identity. He learns to speak, walk, eat, even to think and feel as required by the role he plays. Vocational training allows him to confuse his character with himself, playing a role that is very different from his true nature, he could take time off from their own personality. But sometimes even the seasoned professional, this boundary is blurred, and he continues to play a role even after the curtain fell and faded red light cameras. The actor is absorbed in the role, which begins to run his normal life. Viewers are no longer important, because the role of the identity of the actor absorbed.

A striking example of how the role has become "too real", can be seen in the British TV show "Edwardian Manor» (The Edwardian Country House). In this dramatic "reality show" 19 people selected from around 8000 candidates, played the role of British servants working in a luxurious estate. Program participants who got the role of chief butlerResponsible for personnel, I had to follow a rigid hierarchical standards of conduct at the time (early twentieth century). His "frightened" the ease with which he has turned into a powerful master. This sixty-five architect did not expect so soon will enter the role and will enjoy unlimited authority over his household: "I suddenly realized that I did not need to say anything. It was enough to lift a finger, and they fell silent. It scared me very scared. " A young woman playing the role of the maid in real life - the manager of travel agency, started to feel invisible. According to her, she and other participants of the show quickly adapted to the role of subordinates: "I was surprised and then scared at how easily we all started to obey. We very quickly realized that it is impossible to argue and listen. "

As a rule, the role associated with certain situations, work or functions - for example, can be a teacher, janitor, taxi driver, a minister, a social worker or a pornographic film actor.

We play different roles in different situations - at home, at school, at church, at the factory or on the stage.

Usually we come out of the role, when we return to "normal" life in a different environment. But some insidious role is not just a "script" that we follow only from time to time; they can turn to our essence and manifest
almost all the time. We internalize them, even if at first considered artificial, temporary and situational. We really turn into father, Mother, son, daughter, neighbor, boss, employee, helper, healer, a whore, a soldier, beggar, thief and so on.

Further complicates the situation is that we usually have to play many roles and some of them conflict with each other, and some do not meet our core values ​​and beliefs. As in SHE, at first it may be "a role", but the inability to distinguish them from the real person can have a profound impact, especially when the role behavior is rewarded. "Clown" class gets attention, which can not be obtained by showing talent in any other region, but eventually no one takes him seriously. Even shyness can be a role: first, it helps to avoid undesirable social contacts and embarrassment in certain situations, but if the person playing it too often, it really becomes shy.

The role can make us not only feel embarrassed, but also do very terrible things - if we lose vigilance and part to live your life, prescribing that allowed creating rigid rules, it is expected and supported in this context. Such rigid roles disable ethics and values ​​that govern us when we act "as usual". Defense mechanism compartmentalization Compartmentalization (compartmentalization) - coping with the situation by razgorazhivaniya are conscious beliefs, the opposite of content. Such hypocrisy is often rationalized, that is explained by a kind of in an acceptable manner, but it is based on the dissociation of the contents. - Approx. per. It helps mentally to put contradictory aspects of different beliefs and different experiences in the individual "compartments" of consciousness. It interferes with their comprehension or dialogue between them. Therefore, a good husband can easily change his wife, the virtuous priest is a homosexual, and kind-hearted farmer - a ruthless slave owner.

Be aware that the role is able to distort our view of the world - for better or for worse, for example when the role of the teacher or nurse makes to sacrifice themselves for the good of the students or patients.

Cognitive dissonance and the rationalization of atrocities

An interesting consequence of the situation in which we have to play a role that contradicts our personal beliefs, is cognitive dissonance. When our behavior is contrary to our beliefs, when our actions do not coincide with our values, there are conditions for cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance - a state of stress, which can be a powerful motivating factor to change any of our behavior in society or our beliefs in an attempt to get rid of dissonance. People are willing to go to great lengths to bring the conflicting beliefs and behavior to a certain functional integrity. The greater the dissonance, the stronger the desire to achieve integrity and the more dramatic changes can be expected. Cognitive dissonance does not arise if we have caused someone harm, having to do good reasons - for example, if there was a threat to our lives; we soldiersAnd it is our job; we carried out the order of the influential authority; we were offered a substantial reward for the actions that are contrary to our beliefs.

As might be expected, the cognitive dissonance the greater the less convincing justification "bad" behavior, such as for heinous acts are paid too little, when we do not threaten or justify such actions are insufficient or inadequate. Dissonance increases, growing and striving to reduce it, if a person thinks that he is acting on his own voluntarily, or he does not notice or does not realize the pressure situation, prompting act contrary beliefs. When such actions occur in front of other people, they can not be denied or corrected. Therefore, changes are subject to the most "soft" elements of dissonance, its internal aspects - values, attitudes, beliefs, and even perception. This is confirmed by numerous studies.

How cognitive dissonance could be the cause of the changes we have seen in the characters of the guards during the STE? They completely voluntarily worked during long, difficult shifts for little money - less than $ 2 per hour. They almost did not explain how to play a new and challenging role. They needed to properly play this role all eight hour shifts for several days and nights - whenever they wore uniforms, were in the yard, in the presence of others - prisoners parents or other visitors. They had to return to the role after a sixteen-hour rest between duty. Such a powerful source of discord was probably the main reason for the internalization of role behavior in the presence of other people and the occurrence of certain cognitive and emotional reactions, which eventually led to more and more arrogant and cruel behavior.

But that's not all. Pledging to perform actions contrary to their personal beliefs, the guards were heavily the desire to give them a meaning, to find the reasons for which they act contrary to their real beliefs and moral principles.

Reasonable people can be tricked into irrational actions, creating their cognitive dissonance, which they are not aware.

social psychology offers ample evidence that in such a situation, the reasonable people are capable of ridiculous things, normal people - on crazy things, ethical people - on immorality. And then these people create a "good" rational explanation as to why do something that can not be denied. People are not so rational, they are just a good command of the art of rationalization - that is able to explain the differences between their personal beliefs and behavior that contradicts them. This ability allows us to convince ourselves and others that our decisions are based on rational considerations. We are not aware of his desire to maintain the internal integrity in terms of cognitive dissonance.

The influence of social approval

As a rule, we are not aware of another, more powerful forces, which plays on the strings of our behavioral repertoire: the social needs approval. The need for acceptance, love and respect - to feel normal and adequate to meet the expectations - this demand is so strong that we are ready to accept even the most foolish and outlandish behaviors that are unfamiliar to us people believe correct. We laugh at episodes of the television show "Candid Camera", demonstrate this truth, but rarely notice a situation where we become the "stars" of this show in their own lives.

In addition to cognitive dissonance on our guards to influence and conformity. Group pressure by other guards forced them to be "team players", comply with the new regulations requiring the dehumanization of prisoners in many different ways. Good guard was "rejected" and suffered in silence from outside the circle of social rewards from the other guards of his shift. But the most brutal guard each shift became the object of imitation, at least for one more guard the same shift.

In "The Lucifer Effect" Zimbardo not only described the reasons that push people to commit horrendous acts. The value of this book is also in the fact that it teaches us to resist the negative effects. And that means - to preserve the humanity even in the most difficult circumstances.

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