The Psychology of Excuses [How People Justify Hurting Others]

The video explores moral disengagement, a psychological phenomenon that allows individuals to justify unethical behavior while maintaining a positive self-image. Through the story of Sarah, a bullied student, the video illustrates eight forms of moral disengagement used by her bullies: moral justification, euphemistic labeling, advantageous comparison, displacement of responsibility, diffusion of responsibility, disregarding consequences, dehumanization, and attribution of blame. The teacher addresses these behaviors, emphasizing the importance of understanding moral disengagement to prevent violence and promote empathy. The theory, developed by Albert Bandura, highlights the need for self-sanctions to evaluate moral actions.

What new insight or understanding did you gain from this video?