fei75766_ch17_534-568.indd 555  02/24/20 10:49 AM
Chapter 17    Bandura: Social Cognitive Theory555
Thefirstismoral justification, inwhich otherwise culpable behavior ismade 
toseem defensible orevennoble. Bandura (1986) cited theexample ofWorld War
IheroSergeant Alvin York who, asaconscientious objector, believed thatkill-
ingwasmorally wrong. After hisbattalion commander quoted from theBible the
conditions under which itwasmorally justified tokillandafteralongprayer vigil, 
York became convinced thatkilling enemy soldiers wasmorally defensible. Follow -
inghisredefining killing, York proceeded tokillandcapture more than100Ger-
mansoldiers and,asaresult, became oneofthegreatest warheroes inAmerican 
history.
Asecond method ofreducing responsibility through redefining wrongful behav -
ioristomake advantageous orpalliative comparisons between thatbehavior andthe
evengreater atrocities committed byothers. Thechild whovandalizes aschool build -
ingusestheexcuse thatothers broke evenmore windows. 
Athird technique inredefining behavior istheuseofeuphemistic labels. Politi -
cians whohavepledged nottoraisetaxes speak of“revenue enhancement” rather 
thantaxes; some Nazi leaders called themurder ofmillions ofJewsthe“purification 
ofEurope” or“thefinalsolution.” 
Disregard or Distort the Consequences of Behavior
Asecond method ofavoiding responsibility involves distorting or obscuring the rela -
tionship between the behavior and its detrimental consequences (seeupper-center boxof
Figure 17.2). Bandura (1986, 1999a) recognized atleastthree techniques ofdistort -
ingorobscuring thedetrimental consequences ofone’s actions. First, people can
minimize the consequences of their behavior .Forexample, adriver runsaredlightand
strikes apedestrian. Astheinjured party liesbleeding andunconscious onthepave-
ment, thedriver says,“She’s notreally hurtbadly. She’s going tobeokay.”
Second, people candisregard or ignore the consequences of their actions, aswhen 
theydonotseefirsthand theharmful effects oftheirbehavior. Inwartime, heads of
stateandarmy generals seldom viewthetotaldestruction anddeath resulting from 
theirdecisions.
Finally, people candistort or misconstrue the consequences of their actions, as
when aparent beats achild badly enough tocause serious bruises butexplains that
thechild needs discipline inorder tomature properly.
Dehumanize or Blame the Victims
Third, people canobscure responsibility fortheiractions byeither dehumanizing their 
victims or attributing blame to them (seeupper-right boxinFigure 17.2). Intimeof
war,people often seetheenemy assubhuman, sotheyneed notfeelguilty forkilling 
enemy soldiers. Atvarious times inU.S.history, Jews, African Americans, Hispanic 
Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans, homosexuals, andstreet people 
havebecome dehumanized victims. Otherwise kind, considerate, andgentle people 
haveperpetrated actsofviolence, insult, orother forms ofmistreatment against these 
groups while avoiding responsibility fortheirownbehavior.
When victims arenotdehumanized, theyaresometimes blamed fortheper-
petrator’s culpable conduct. Arapist mayblame hisvictim forhiscrime, citing her
provocative dress orbehavior. Final PDF to printer