EXAMPLE OF THE ARTICLE REVIEW

Student Name:_______________
Submitted:________________

Date

APA Citation: Banduara, A.; "Moral Disengagement in the Perpetration of

Inhumanities"; PERSONALITY
AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW, 1999, Vol 3, No. 3, 193-209.

SYNOPSIS:
A series of experiments were conducted to test the theoretical argument that
moral
agency is manifested in the power to refrain from inhumane conduct. Bandura
reasoned that
the ability to behave humanely was developed proactively as opposed to
spontaneously or
without effort. The Socio-Cognitive Self Theory described self-organization, selfreflection and self
regulatory mechanisms were measurable constructs which could make humane
conduct
possible. Humane conduct, then, was a function of self concept. Inhumane conduct
would reflect
a poor or inappropriate sense of self. In hypothetical scenarios, measures of high
levels of self
concept would have higher rates of humane solutions and lower self concepts
predicted higher
rates of inhumane solutions.
Hypothesis: Sense of self determines rate of humane conduct.
Independent variables: Sense of self, as measures by self-organization,selfreflection and self-regulation.
Dependent Variable: Rate of inhumane choices of Scenarios Solutions.
Results: Several experiments were described in which several measures of
self concept

could predict rate of humane choices in hypothetical scenarios, and poor self
concept
predicted the choice of inhumane scenario solutions.

CRITIQUE:
This paper was both chilling and compelling. I found this paper credible and
very useful.
The results supported Bandura's predicting that self concept could predict degree of
humanity in
chosen solutions in hypothetical scenarios. Because so many parts of self concept
were
considered, this is a Humanistic type of argument. However, because reasoning
behind the
solution were described, this paper could also support several Cognitive models.
Particularly,
Socio-Cognitive Self Theory.
Interestingly, because the background checks of the subjects, via surveys,
often found
the inhumane behavior and poor self development was correlated with certain
parental models, it
could also be argued that this line of research supports particular Behavioral
Models. Specifically,
Bandura's Social Learning Theory, would suggest that parents who model inhumane
conduct are
more likely to have children with unreasonable self concept development which
would lead to a
greater rate of inhumane conduce. Somehow, watching certain parental roles would
model such
behavior and that would vicariously reinforce the development of poor self restraint,
disordered

self-reflection and altered self-organizaton.

proactive

These backgrounds would not inspire a

mentality toward humane choices.

Bandura's line of research could not only be used to explain self development,
but might
serve to understand inhumane, cruel conduct. The identification of unreasonable
explanations
that justify cruelty could be used in interventions. The models could further be used
to develop
humane solutions for moral dilemas. More research could disclose specific
approaches for
particular cases.