The situation provided the impetus to act heroically or malevolently. Christians who helped Jews were in the same situation as other civilians who helped imprison or kill Jews, or ignored their suffering. The two lines of research aren’t as different as they might seem they’re actually two sides of the same coin.Ī key insight from research on heroism so far is that the very same situations that inflame the hostile imagination in some people, making them villains, can also instill the heroic imagination in other people, prompting them to perform heroic deeds. My work on heroism follows 35 years of research in which I studied the psychology of evil, including my work on the infamous Stanford Prison Experiment. We’re just now starting to scientifically distinguish heroism from these other concepts and zero in on what makes a hero. Compassion is a virtue that may lead to heroism, but we don’t know that it does. Simply put, then, the key to heroism is a concern for other people in need-a concern to defend a moral cause, knowing there is a personal risk, done without expectation of reward.īy that definition, then, altruism is heroism light-it doesn’t always involve a serious risk.

Finally, it is performed without external gain anticipated at the time of the act. Third, a heroic act is one performed with recognition of possible risks and costs, be they to one’s physical health or personal reputation, in which the actor is willing to accept anticipated sacrifice. Second, it’s engaged in voluntarily, even in military contexts, as heroism remains an act that goes beyond something required by military duty. In that time, we’ve come to define heroism as an activity with several parts.įirst, it’s performed in service to others in need-whether that’s a person, group, or community-or in defense of certain ideals. For the last five years, my colleagues and I have been exploring the nature and roots of heroism, studying exemplary cases of heroism and surveying thousands of people about their choices to act (or not act) heroically.

I believe that heroism is different than altruism and compassion. It could be that heroes have more compassion or empathy maybe there’s a hero gene maybe it’s because of their levels of oxytocin-research by neuroeconomist Paul Zak has shown that this “love hormone” in the brain increases the likelihood you’ll demonstrate altruism. Show love and respect to others this monthīut when we ask why people become heroic, research doesn’t yet have an answer. Research has uncovered many answers to the second question: Evil can be fostered by dehumanization, diffusion of responsibility, obedience to authority, unjust systems, group pressure, moral disengagement, and anonymity, to name a few. Learn more about Zimbardo's Heroic Imagination Project. Read this Greater Good essay on the 'psychology of the bystander.' Read his essay on ' The Banality of Heroism,' which further explores the conditions that can promote heroism vs. Watch the video of Philip Zimbardo's Greater Good talk on heroism. In this excerpt from his talk, he zeroes in on his research and educational program designed to foster the “heroic imagination.”

In his talk, Zimbardo discusses the psychology of evil and of heroism, exploring why good people sometimes turn bad and how we can encourage more people to perform heroic acts. This month, Greater Good features videos of a presentation by Philip Zimbardo, the world-renowned psychologist perhaps best known for his infamous Stanford Prison Experiment.

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