PEOPLE WHO DO
CRAZY THINGS ARE NOT
NECESSARILY CRAZY
ELLIOT ARONSON (1932–) - P244
Cognitive dissonance
To illustrate his point, Aronson cites.
an incident that took place at Kent State University, Ohio, in 1970 in which members of the Ohio NationalGuard shot and killed four unarmed students, wounding nine others. Some of these students had been protesting against the American invasion of Cambodia, but others were simply crossing the campus. - P245
The conflict felt by these peopleis known as "cognitive dissonance," an unpleasant feeling experienced when two or more of one‘s beliefs are inconsistent. - P245
Aronson claims that anyone could behave this way under similar circumstances. By understandingthe reasons why people justify ordeny the use of cruelty, we may bebetter placed to mediate or preventit in wider social contexts, such aswar or social prejudice. - P245
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