With most illegal activities occurring in the dark of the night, researchers have now illuminated the effect of light on our morals
Author Anton Chekhov’s story ‘The Robbers’ brings to mind images of stealthy, sly and lustful robbers’ lamp-lit den where the on-set of night didn’t signal terminating all activities, but rather incited setting spirits to satiate their beastly cravings. Characterising the darkness of the night in myriad metaphorical ways, Chekhov kept the reader’s pulse racing till the end. If merely repetitive mention of darkness can set a person’s heart racing, could the cloak of darkness embolden some to commit crimes too?
A recent study by psychologists Chen-Bo Zhong and Vanessa Bohns of the University of Toronto and Francesca Gino of the University of North Carolina suggests that it isn’t only the fear of exposure that leads to increased incidents of misconduct in darkness. Rather, it is darkness that triggers some of the destructive emotions that may lead one to misbehave! It was the unanimity of the results of the experiments conducted that led to publishing the research in the journal Psychological Science. Participants in dimly-lit surroundings were seen to cheat more than those in the brightly-lit set-up. While in another set of participants, who were only made to wear sunglasses and asked to divide $6 amongst each other in any way they wished, it was noted that ‘darkness increased their self-interested behaviour’!
Dr. Sanjay Chugh agrees and adds to the theory here, “I would agree with this. No one likes to be caught when doing something wrong. So, people try to hide or do it on the sly. Darkness provides the best cover.
A recent study by psychologists Chen-Bo Zhong and Vanessa Bohns of the University of Toronto and Francesca Gino of the University of North Carolina suggests that it isn’t only the fear of exposure that leads to increased incidents of misconduct in darkness. Rather, it is darkness that triggers some of the destructive emotions that may lead one to misbehave! It was the unanimity of the results of the experiments conducted that led to publishing the research in the journal Psychological Science. Participants in dimly-lit surroundings were seen to cheat more than those in the brightly-lit set-up. While in another set of participants, who were only made to wear sunglasses and asked to divide $6 amongst each other in any way they wished, it was noted that ‘darkness increased their self-interested behaviour’!
Dr. Sanjay Chugh agrees and adds to the theory here, “I would agree with this. No one likes to be caught when doing something wrong. So, people try to hide or do it on the sly. Darkness provides the best cover.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
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An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
Prof. Rajita Chaudhuri's Website
domain-b.com : IIPM ranked ahead of IIMs
Arindam Chaudhuri's Portfolio - he is at his candid best by Society Magazine
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
Professor Arindam Chaudhuri - A Man For The Society....
IIPM: Indian Institute of Planning and Management
IIPM makes business education truly global
IIPM B-School Detail
