Posted: Sat Aug 04, 2007 7:54 pm
Inasmuch as nobody in the power structure or military knew the import of Zimbardo's results, or the new lie detection technologies, I haveta conclude their education, at the very least, was lacking. And if you are confronted with a national security problem, to not look up the neurological and psychological data is indicative of psychological denial.
I cannot imagine a situation in which torture would be preferred. It takes longer, and there are *psychological* studies which suggest that quite often the subject produces whatever he thinks the interorgators want rather than his best recollection. Moreover, sometimes the truth itself is hidden from a subject by psychological denial, yet the new lie detection tools can still uncover it.
Who tests the guards to make sure they are sane? What test can be designed that is not a result of group think? The very same loyalty & patriotism that empowers the group to act in unison makes it subject to denial of reality.
I cannot imagine a situation in which torture would be preferred. It takes longer, and there are *psychological* studies which suggest that quite often the subject produces whatever he thinks the interorgators want rather than his best recollection. Moreover, sometimes the truth itself is hidden from a subject by psychological denial, yet the new lie detection tools can still uncover it.
Who tests the guards to make sure they are sane? What test can be designed that is not a result of group think? The very same loyalty & patriotism that empowers the group to act in unison makes it subject to denial of reality.
