efore continuing with the exploration of social psychological research investigations into situational power, began in the last chapter, it is worth a brief detour to raise a more modern contrast between alternative conceptions of human nature that influence our perceptions about justice. Linguist George Lakoff in his provocative book, Moral Politics, contrasts the divergent political viewpoints upon human nature held by the conservative "right" and liberal "left" in contemporary Western discourse.

On the right side is the "Strict Father" morality. Here we have the notion that people will behave morally only under the surveillance of, and the promise of threat and reward from, an authoritarian father figure, agents or agencies of government or religion. In this model of human nature, there is no natural goodness in people, only tendencies toward evil that must be curbed by strict behavior-modification practices. Such societies engage in forms of retributive justice to deter crime while insisting on discipline through enforced control and total obedience to a hierarchical authority.

In contrast, on the left side is the "Nurturing Parent" metaphor of human nature, proposed by Lakoff. It replaces a Skinnerian social control approach with one more central to most religions, wherein caring for and loving others takes precedence over an ego-centered fear/reward focus. Respecting individual autonomy and personal worth are linked to compassion, forgiveness and forms of justice based on fairness, equity and restitution.

Biologist-humanist, Mary Clark, extends Lakoff’s perspective in her book, In Search of Human Nature, arguing that human nature emerged from the wisdom of religious prophets, in Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam. She contends that natural selection acting on the evolution of the human brain and behavior was driven by three broad psychological propensities: The need to be accepted by a supportive group; the need to have autonomy in personal action, and the need to experience meaningfulness of our experiences. It is only when those psychological needs are denied, as when societies come under threat or extreme stress, that the Nurturing Parent modality is unable to maintain social coherence. Then anti-social, competitive reactions come to replace pro-social, cooperative ways of behaving until social harmony is restored. Clark holds that every religious tradition has "invited believers to search within themselves for the 'spirit' to act in pro-social ways; and they have commended forgiveness and compassion." In a sense, this view is comparable to that of Rousseau, in which the intrinsically noble human being is not corrupted by the evils of society but enriched by contact with its caring institutions and supportive moral and religious traditions.

©2006-2009, Philip G. Zimbardo