The Psychology of Evil: Or the Perversion of Human Potential

The paper presents a social psychological perspective on existential evil. The author has been engaged for a decade in conducting empirical studies on anti-social behavior (violence, vandalism, dehumanization), much of it under ONR contract. It is concluded that evil deeds are better understood - and controlled - by analysis and manipulation of situational and transpersonal variables than by dispositional aspects of individuals or groups. Studies by Milgram and by Zimbardo and his colleagues reveal how readily good people may be made to act in evil ways, and further, how facile people are in creating justifications for any act of evil.