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Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil
Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil | Philip G Zimbardo
The definitive firsthand account of the groundbreaking research of Philip Zimbardo the basis for the award-winning film "The Stanford Prison Experiment" Renowned social psychologist and creator of the Stanford Prison Experiment Philip Zimbardo explores the mechanisms that make good people do bad things, how moral people can be seduced into acting immorally, and what this says about the line separating good from evil. "The Lucifer Effect" explains how and the myriad reasons why we are all susceptible to the lure of the dark side. Drawing on examples from history as well as his own trailblazing research, Zimbardo details how situational forces and group dynamics can work in concert to make monsters out of decent men and women. Here, for the first time and in detail, Zimbardo tells the full story of the Stanford Prison Experiment, the landmark study in which a group of college-student volunteers was randomly divided into guards and inmates and then placed in a mock prison environment. Within a week the study was abandoned, as ordinary college students were transformed into either brutal, sadistic guards or emotionally broken prisoners. By illuminating the psychological causes behind such disturbing metamorphoses, Zimbardo enables us to better understand a variety of harrowing phenomena, from corporate malfeasance to organized genocide to how once upstanding American soldiers came to abuse and torture Iraqi detainees in Abu Ghraib. He replaces the long-held notion of the bad apple with that of the bad barrel the idea that the social setting and the system contaminate the individual, rather than the other way around. This is a book that dares to hold a mirror up to mankind, showing us that we might not be who we think we are. While forcing us to reexamine what we are capable of doing when caught up in the crucible of behavioral dynamics, though, Zimbardo also offers hope. We are capable of resisting evil, he argues, and can even teach ourselves to act heroically. Like Hannah Arendt s "Eichmann in Jerusalem" and Steven Pinker s "The Blank Slate, " "The Lucifer Effect" is a shocking, engrossing study that will change the way we view human behavior. Praise for "The Lucifer Effect" "The Lucifer Effect" will change forever the way you think about why we behave the way we do and, in particular, about the human potential for evil. This is a disturbing book, but one that has never been more necessary. Malcolm Gladwell An important book . . . All politicians and social commentators . . . should read this. "The Times "(London) Powerful . . . an extraordinarily valuable addition to the literature of the psychology of violence or evil. "The American Prospect" Penetrating . . .Combining a dense but readable and often engrossing exposition of social psychology research with an impassioned moral seriousness, Zimbardo challenges readers to look beyond glib denunciations of evil-doers and ponder our collective responsibility for the world s ills. "Publishers Weekly" A sprawling discussion . . . Zimbardo couples a thorough narrative of the Stanford Prison Experiment with an analysis of the social dynamics of the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. "Booklist" Zimbardo bottled evil in a laboratory.The lessons he learned show us our dark nature but also fill us with hope if we heed their counsel."The Lucifer Effect "reads like a novel. Anthony Pratkanis, Ph.D., professor emeritus of psychology, University of California "From the Hardcover edition.""
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Deejak
Pickpick

Un libro que me costó leer, debido a la crudeza con la que plantea la naturaleza malvada del ser humano. Está fragilidad a la predisposición del mal, pero también un gran recorrido para estar atentos.
Un abordaje justo sobre el poder y la opresión. En dónde nos demuestra que hay un área descuidada en el entendimiento de la conducta humana. Nos lleva a reconocer una sobrevaloración a la disposición (rasgos inherentes).

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Cazxxx
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llcoolnate

“Fear is the State's psychological weapon of choice to frighten citizens into sacrificing their basic freedoms and rule-of-law protections in exchange for the security promised by their all-powerful government.”

Annie1215 How unfortunately relevant 😶 4y
llcoolnate @Annie1215 Agreed :( 4y
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llcoolnate
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Pickpick

“each of us has the potential, or mental templates, to be saint or sinner, altruistic or selfish, gentle or cruel, submissive or dominant, sane or mad, good or evil“.
Great book on what can impact a rational mind toward “evil“. One of my favorites on the topic, though the prison experiment isn't something I could quite agree with.

i.besteph This quote is everything. Stacked :) 4y
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janeycanuck
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What people are capable of is very scary

#fallisbooked

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jcalyn5
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#7Days7Covers #CoverCrush Day 2

7 days, 7 covers you love, no explanation. Try to tag someone new each day.

Anyone else interested, consider yourself tagged as well!

@Charityann

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Ddzmini
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#7Days7Covers #CoverCrush #day5 I really like this cover...but he‘s since changed this cover to one that‘s not so 💁🏼‍♀️📖😋

gradcat I‘m stacking this—sounds VERY interesting! 📚 5y
Ddzmini @gradcat yes I‘ve got a signed copy from a psychology convention I went to where Dr. Zimbardo discussed his new projects and books coming out 🥰🥰🥰 5y
gradcat I‘ve got to find time to get to that book...so great that you got to speak with him...so cool! ♥️ 5y
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Ddzmini
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About to hear a lecture from this amazing man for those of you whom don‘t know him he is Dr. Philip Zimbardo one of my favorite Psychologists 😍📖😋 can‘t wait

Leftcoastzen Sounds interesting! that goatee makes him look a little Lucifer like.😁 6y
JenReadsAlot That's awesome! 6y
Ddzmini @Leftcoastzen it is @JenReadsAlot it is right 📖😋 6y
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jcalyn5
Pickpick

Though I admittedly took years to finish this book, I think that was as much on me as the book. The first half describes the SPE in great detail, which can get a little tedious. But the second half, which ties in other social psychology experiments and real-world events, is much more interesting and easier to get through. I recommend it for anyone interested in how social factors influence behavior in even good people.

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jcalyn5
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The end of this book doesn‘t hold back. #currentlyreading #psychology #socialpsychology #torture

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jcalyn5
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I can‘t make another trip to the library until tomorrow, so today I‘m revisiting my longest-running #currentlyreading book (because I never “bail,” just haven‘t finished...). Here‘s to checking books off my list!

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MotionChickness
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Just realized it‘s a signed copy from Zimbardo!!!

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MotionChickness
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I only walked away with two books, at $1.50 since paper backs were cheaper 😂😂

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pplonjons
Pickpick

k

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janeycanuck
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These two books are very much #opposites... The Lucifer Effect is fascinating psychological non-fiction from the man who ran the Stanford Prison Experiment and the Stupidest Angel is light-hearted, funny fiction with a subtitle of "a heartwarming tale of Christmas terror."

Both are very good books.

#riotgrams

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jcalyn5
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I pick this up once every so many months and read a little bit. It's an important book, but for some reason I can never seem to stick with it. #psychology #socialpsychology

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keithmalek

In every situation, work to distinguish between those in authority who, because of their expertise, wisdom, seniority, or special status, deserve respect, and the unjust authority figure who demands our obedience without any substance. Many who assume the mantel of authority are pseudo-leaders, false prophets, confidence men and women, self-promoters who should not be respected but rather openly disobeyed and exposed to critical evaluation.

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keithmalek

Who makes the frame becomes the artist, or the con artist. The way issues are framed is often more influential than the persuasive arguments within their boundaries.

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keithmalek

Never sacrifice basic personal freedoms for the promise of security because the sacrifices are real and immediate and the security is a distant illusion.

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keithmalek

When you think of the long and gloomy history of man, you will find far more hideous crimes have been committed in the name of obedience than have been committed in the name of rebellion. --C.P. Snow

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keithmalek

Our sense of power is more vivid when we break a man's spirit than when we win his heart. --William Hazlitt

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keithmalek
Bailedbailed

What most people don't seem to know (and should know) about the famous experiment described in this book is that participants intentionally behaved in a way to please those who were conducting the experiment. One participant who played the role of a prison guard acted particularly sadistic because he had just seen the film Cool Hand Luke, and even spoke in a southern accent to match the movie.

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chaos
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Pickpick

Why do good people do bad things?
The book tries to answer one of the most fundamental questions about man kind and human nature.
Can we craft our morals?
The book is a very interesting read.

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DGRachel
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I find nonfiction to be generally more terrifying than fiction because I can't convince myself that the evil doesn't exist. It does, and nowhere is that more obvious to me than in the Stanford Prison Experiment. The speed with which "normal" people turned into monsters and victims was astonishing and horrifying. #AllHallowsRead #ScaryReads #favoritescarynonfiction

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GoneFishing

Fear is the State's psychological weapon of choice to frighten citizens into sacrificing their basic freedoms and rule-of-law protections in exchange for the security promised by their all-powerful government.

Suet624 I wish more people understood this. 8y
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QueenAnne
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"...The irony of being ordered to sing a song of freedom in this oppressive atmosphere where his song provides the cadence for mindless push-ups is not lost on 416. He vows not to be crushed by Arnett or any other guard."

How sweet the sound.. ? regular joe's like you and me, turned into monsters

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QueenAnne
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How thin is the line between good and evil? Between sane and insane? Between rebellious and subordinate? Pretty thin..

Laura317 That is a terrifying thought, but it somehow rings true. 8y
QueenAnne @Laura317 isn't it!? He talks about how everyone can turn evil with certain circumstances, that there are "no bad apples" ? and that one that note, everyone can be good too 8y
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Classic_Wirginia
Pickpick

The first half of this book detailed the Stanford Prison Experiment. The second half is Zimbardo's theory of the Lucifer Effect. Everyone should read the first half at least, the SPE was one of the most recent dehumanizing attempts to understand human behavior, it'll open your eyes to the way people in power treat those under them.

DGRachel I read the first half, but have struggled to finish the book. I found the speed with which the "normal" boys as prison guards began doing unspeakable things, and the speed with which the "prisoners" deteriorated to be horrifying. 8y
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QueenAnne
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I've been intrigued by this experiment ever since watching Philip Zimbardo's TED-Talk. Now at a point in the book where he will narrate those events ??

Think you're not evil? That others are just "bad apples"? Guess again.. Muhaha (okay that evil laugh is a bit creepy ?)

JillMoore1226 I watched a movie based on this with my teenaged daughter. Fascinating! 8y
QueenAnne @JillMoore1226 the one with Adrien Brody? It's really fascinating isn't it! There's also a book/movie called "the wave" do you know it? It's about a teacher who does an experiment on his pupils in replica of Hitler and the Nazi's.. Also impressive.. 8y
ImaginativeMom The Wave is summer reading this year for eighth graders in our system. I hadn't heard of it until it was assigned. I'm sure it will generate interesting discussions. @QueenAnne 8y
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JillMoore1226 @QueenAnne yes! That's the one! Ooooo that book sounds like something I need. 8y
QueenAnne @ImaginativeMom If I could only be a fly on the wall of that classroom 😉 8y
QueenAnne @JillMoore1226 it's a good read, it makes you realise how little is neccessary for impressionable youth (and adults too!) to go wrong 8y
Zelma There's also a new movie about this that came out last year starring Billy Crudup. Interesting but very disturbing. 8y
ImaginativeMom @QueenAnne Right?! I suppose it shows faith in our kids, but I was surprised at the choice. I was also surprised at the choice of The Cay for the seventh graders down here in AL. Cannot wait to hear about those discussions!! 8y
QueenAnne @Zelma I haven't seen that one yet, but definitely will! 8y
QueenAnne @ImaginativeMom It'a a bold choice no doubt! I'm not well informed about the US schoolsystem, but 8th grade is.. 12/13 years old? Good age to start to think outside of your own comfortzone! The Cay, I don't know that one, but will add it to my TBR! If you have more tips, please tell me 😄📚❤️ 8y
ImaginativeMom @QueenAnne 8th graders are 13/14. I hadn't heard of The Cay, either! It's an older book about a boy raised to be a racist who becomes dependent on a West Indian man for survival. My almost 13 year old really liked it. 8y
Trav We were taught about the Standford Prison Experiment when I went to University -- for one of my philosophy subjects. It was extremely fascinating. 8y
QueenAnne @ImaginativeMom that sounds interesting! I love books like that, that tackle racist thoughts and issues. When I was (too) young, books like "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "The Color Purple" made a deep impression on me 8y
QueenAnne @Trav I'm so jealous! Aren't people and the depths of their minds the most intricate and interesting thing in the world?! 8y
Trav @QueenAnne Very much so! The experiment definitely challenges the notion of being inherently good or bad and further demonstrates just how much your environment or 'situationism' can affect you as a person. 8y
QueenAnne @Trav exactly, and how people respond to "authority figures" like a man in a labcoat. If you haven't yet, you should definitely read this book! Sounds like it's just your cup of tea! 8y
Trav @QueenAnne Most definitely! I've just added it to my TBR list -- thanks so much for the rec! 8y
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QueenAnne
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"We live in the "mass murder century" More than 50 million people have been systematically murdered by government decrees."

Bleeding, sad world of hurt.. Note that this book is already a bit dated, so not even counting the acts of terrorism and counteracts yet.. ?

Wish everyone would just.. Read

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QueenAnne
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This book.. Sorry in advance for all the posts that will follow, this book has grabbed me and holds me tight!

MrBook Never apologize for the flow of posts regarding anything about a book or something book-related 😁😎👍🏻📚📚📚. 8y
QueenAnne @MrBook words never spoken by anyone I know outside Litsy! Thanks for the support, Litsy family rocks 📚📚😄👍🏼 8y
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Oblomov26
Pickpick

A fascinating book by the man who conducted the Stanford prison experiment asking the question what is required to make a person do evil. The answer is disturbingly very little and comes down to an authority figure and the removal of personal responsibility. His analysis of the events of Abu Ghraib

Oblomov26 Where he acted as a witness for the defense is illuminating. 8y
Oblomov26 Should have added - he also goes into the question what makes a good man? His answer comes down to a moral and self contained individual who is will to go against authority and the group and say "no this just wrong" 8y
iread2much Interesting! 8y
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QueenAnne
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Angels or demons? Light or darkness? Can one exist without the other? Well, Mr Zimbardo is going to tell me about the fine line we're all walking

*Image by Maurits Cornelis Escher

Ukulelebob Escher is so cool😎 9y
QueenAnne @Ukulelebob Oh yeah 💁🏼 9y
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