The Preference for Indirect Harm

Citation: Edward B. Royzman, Jonathan Baron (2002) The Preference for Indirect Harm. Social Justice Research (RSS)
DOI (original publisher): 10.1023/A:1019923923537
Semantic Scholar (metadata): 10.1023/A:1019923923537
Sci-Hub (fulltext): 10.1023/A:1019923923537
Internet Archive Scholar (search for fulltext): The Preference for Indirect Harm
Download: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.7.9741&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Tagged: Psychology (RSS)

Summary

This research finds a bias in favor of indirect harm. The researchers test a number of different scenarios and consistently find that people prefer the indirect option. For example people think it's worse to move someone in your way to avoid a bullet, versus jumping out of the way and the person behind you gets shot. They test whether the indirectness bias is a manifestation of the omission bias. Utilitarian philosophers would find the moral and legal relevance of indirectness irrelevant because they are only concerned with expected consequences. Milgram suggests the division of labor exists so things can be done indirectly and therefore it's easier to harm. Our greater moral tolerance towards the infliction of indirect harm can be utilized in service of mass evil.