Moral Disengagement

Al Bandura is the most cited individual in the history of psychology for the depth, breadth and originality of his ideas and writings. Now with his ground-breaking new contribution, Moral Disengagement, his reach extends not only to teachers and students but also to the general public --making them aware of everyday evils in many spheres of daily life that must be counteracted by mindful moral engagement. --Phil Zimbardo, Ph.D. Author, The Lucifer Effect; President, The Heroic Imagination Project The authoritative statement by the world's most-cited living psychologist, laying out his influential theory. Plunge into these fascinating historical and modern case studies of moral disengagement--morality tales for all time, illuminated by the psychology of how people do harm to themselves and others. ---- Susan T. Fiske, Psychology and Public Affairs, Princeton University Dr. Albert Bandura is one of the great behavioral scientists of our time. His superb contributions include a deep analysis of human morality, its fundamental importance and the complexity of its development. --David A. Hamburg, MD, Visiting Scholar, American Association for the Advancement of Science; DeWitt Wallace Distinguished Scholar, Weill Cornell Medical College; President Emeritus, Carnegie Corporation of New York This fascinating book is a sad reminder of the ubiquity of moral disengagement; it is a much needed call to arms; and it is even a practical primer of how to engage with others in ways that recognize and build on our shared humanity. It helps us identify and resist what threatens to diminish each of us and reminds us that morality is less about the ends we seek to achieve and more about the means we use. --Thomas D. Cook, Joan and Serepta Harrison Professor of Ethics and Justice, Professor of Sociology, Psychology, Education, and Social Policy, Northwestern University; and Senior Fellow, Mathematica Policy Research, Washington, DC Bandura's book is a breakthrough in ethics. It shows how moral disengagement works in business, politics and social life, and how these practices should be unmasked for ethical human functioning. --Laszlo Zsolnai, Professor and Director, Business Ethics Center, Corvinus University of Budapest and President, European SPES Institute, Leuven Moral Disengagement holds the key for unlocking the greatest mystery at the root our biggest policy problems: why do moral people behave immorally? Compellingly written, Bandura draws on the best social science - much of it his own - to illuminate policy issues ranging from gun violence to climate change. It is, in short, must-reading for all. --Jon D. Hanson, Alfred Smart Professor of Law and director of The Project on Law and Mind Sciences, Harvard Law School Timely and soaring above the plethora of psychological theorizing published today, Bandura's work on Moral Disengagement utilizes social cognitive theory to explain morality. This work should be essential reading for humanity. Sharp, insightful, and provocative, it provides comprehensive answers to dispel the myriad questions about how human beings can commit atrocious immoral acts and still live with themselves. -- Regan A. R. Gurung, Ph.D. Ben J. & Joyce Rosenberg Professor of Human Development & Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Albert Bandura is the doyen of the psychology profession. His new book on moral disengagement can be considered a breakthrough in moral psychology and ethics. It shows how the psychological mechanisms of moral disengagement work in business, politics and social life, and how these practices have implications for ethical conduct. Bandura extensively documents how various mechanisms are at work in major spheres of life in the USA and beyond: gun manufacturers, the entertainment industry, tobacco companies, finance and banking, terrorism, climate science and more. The large body of evidence presented by Bandura has important implications for the naive belief that the market will provide sufficient incentives to encourage morally responsible conduct. Bandura ends his book with dramatic words, saying * To function humanely, societies must establish social systems that uphold compassion and curb cruelty. Regardless of whether social practices are carried out individually, organizationally, or institutionally, it should be made difficult for people to delete humanity from their actions.* -- Laszlo Zsolnai, Business Ethics Quarterly, Volume 26, Issue 3, July 2016, pp. 426-429