Some people become perpetrators of evil, while others become heroic Bayshore Courier News Posted:04/20/10
Click on picture to Zoom
Lincroft - Dr. Philip Zimbardo, known for the controversial Stanford Prison Experiment and narrator of the PBS Discovering Psychology series.
Zimbardo has been lauded as one of the most distinguished living psychologists. He has published more than 50 books and 400 professional and popular articles and chapters including Shyness, The Lucifer Effect, and The Time Paradox.
In his ground breaking social psychology study, the Stanford Prison Experiment (SPE), Zimbardo, highlighted the ease with which ordinary intelligent college students could cross the line between good and evil when caught up in the power of situational and systemic forces. His latest research looks at the psychology of heroism, asking," What pushes some people to become perpetrators of evil, while others act heroically on behalf of those in need?"
Zimbardo's research asks of students, "Are you a hero-in-waiting or an exploiter-in-waiting?" The power that comes from being put in the role of a guard, the ease of cheating that technology offers to students, the freedom given to army reservists to do as they pleased with Iraqi prisoners, the protection of Canonical (Catholic) Law provided to Catholic priests each provide critical opportunities for ordinary people to be heroes or exploiters.
Zimbardo will focus on the Heroic Imagination Project (heroicimaginationproject.org), a global education initiative, and answer questions on what it takes to become a hero and how we can help others to rise to the many challenges we face.
Zimbardo will be the featured guest via the Skype video-television system at Brookdale Community College's April 28 International Psychology & Poetry Festival. The free event will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Warner Student Life Center, Navesink I room.
For more details on the event and register for the free event, call 732-224-2799.
