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The education of a torturer; there is a cruel method inthe madness of teaching people to torture. Almost

anyone can learn it.Janice T. Gibson and Mika Haritos-Fatouros. PsychologyTodayv20.(Nov,198! "##$0(!.

Full Text :%&')*GHT 198 +usse 'ubisers, *nc.

Te /ducation o a Torturer

Torture--or atever #ur#ose and in atever nae-- re3uires a torturer, an individuares#onsibe or #annin4 and causin4 #ain to oters. 56 an7s ands are sacked beindi, is ees bindoded,7 rote 6r4entine ournaist Jacobo Tieran about is torture b

6r4entine ar etreists. 5No one sas a ord. :os are soered. . . . ;He is< stri##ed,

doused it ater, tied. . . . 6nd te a##ication o eectric socks be4ins. *t7s i#ossibe tosout--ou o.7 Te 4overnents o at east 90 countries use siiar etods to torture#eo#e a over te ord, 6nest *nternationa re#orts.

=at kind o #erson can beave so onstrous to anoter uan bein4> 6 sadist or aseua deviant> +oeone it an autoritarian u#brin4in4 or o as abused b #arents>

6 disturbed #ersonait aected soeo b ereditar caracteristics>

&n te contrar, te Na?is o tortured and kied iions durin4 =ord =ar ** 5eren@tsadists or kiers b nature,7 Hanna 6rendt re#orted in er book /icann *n Jerusae.Man studies o Na?i beavior concuded tat onstrous acts, des#ite teir orrors, ereoten si# a atter o aitu bureaucrats savis ooin4 orders.

*n a 19A stud, Bniversit o Forida #scoo4ist Mo Harroer asked 1$ )orscace#erts to eaine inkbot test re#orts ro 6do# /icann, )udo Hess, HerannGoerin4 and ive oter Na?i ar criinas, ade ust beore teir trias at Nureber4. +easo sent te s#eciaists )orscac re#orts ro eiter 6ericans, soe it e-adusted#ersonaities and soe o ere severe disturbed, itout reveain4 te individuas7identities. Te e#erts ere unabe to distin4uis te Na?is ro te 6ericans and ud4edan e3ua nuber o bot to be e-adusted. Te orror tat eer4es is te ikeiood tattorturers are not reaksC te are ordinar #eo#e.

&bedience to at e ca te 5autorit o vioence7 oten #as an i#ortant roe in#usin4 ordinar #eo#e to coit crue, vioent and even ata acts. Durin4 artie, orea#e, sodiers i oo orders to ki unared civiians. Here, e i ook at te aobedience and oter actors cobine to #roduce iin4 torturers.

Tent-ive ears a4o, te ate #scoo4ist +tane Mi4ra deonstrated convincin4tat #eo#e unike to be crue in everda ie i adinister #ain i te are tod to bsoeone in autorit. *n a aous e#erient, Mi4ra ad en earin4 aborator coatsdirect avera4e 6erican aduts to inict a series o eectric socks on oter #eo#e. No reasocks ere 4iven and te 5victis7 ere actin4, but te #eo#e didn7t kno tis. Te eretod tat te #ur#ose o te stud as to easure te eects o #unisent on earnin4.


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&bedient, $ #ercent o te used at te tou4t ere dan4erous i4 eves osocks en te e#erienter tod te to. =ie te ere ess ike to adinister tesesu##osed socks as te ere oved coser to teir victis, aost one-tird o tecontinued to sock en te ere cose enou4 to touc.

Tis readiness to torture is not iited to 6ericans. Fooin4 Mi4ra7s ead, oter

researcers ound tat #eo#e o a a4es, ro a ide ran4e o countries, ere iin4 tosock oters even en te ad notin4 to 4ain b co#in4 it te coand ornotin4 to ose b reusin4 it. +o on4 as soeone ese, an autorit i4ure, asres#onsibe or te ina outcoe o te e#erient, aost no one absoute reused toadinister socks. /ac stud aso ound, as Mi4ra ad, tat soe #eo#e oud 4ivesocks even en te decision as et u# to te.

Mi4ra #ro#osed tat te reasons #eo#e obe or disobe autorit a into treecate4ories. Te irst is #ersona istor" ai or scoo back4rounds tat encoura4eobedience or deiance. Te second, ic e caed 5bindin4,7 is ade u# o on4oin4e#eriences tat ake #eo#e ee coortabe en te obe autorit. +train, te tirdcate4or, consists o bad eein4s ro un#easant e#eriences connected it obedience.Mi4ra ar4ued tat en te bindin4 actors are ore #oeru tan te strain ocoo#eratin4, #eo#e i do as te are tod. =en te strain is 4reater, te are ore iketo disobe.

Tis a e#ain sort-ter obedience in te aborator, but it doesn7t e#ain #roon4ed#atterns o torture durin4 artie or under soe #oitica re4ies. )e#eated, torturers in

6r4entina and eseere #erored acts tat ost o us consider re#u4nant, and in tietis soud ave #aced enou4 strain on te to #revent teir obedience. *t didn7t. Nordoes Mi4ra7s teor e#ain undirected crue or vioent acts, ic occur even en noautorit orders te. For tis, e ave deveo#ed a ore co#reensive earnin4 odeCor torture, e discovered, can be tau4t.

=e studied te #rocedures used to train Greek iitar #oice as torturers durin4 tatcountr7s iitar re4ie ro 19A trou4 19AE. =e eained te oicia testionies o21 orer sodiers in te /+6 (6r 'oice %or#s! 4iven at teir 19A$ criina trias in

6tensC in addition, Haritos-Fatouros conducted in-de#t intervies it 1 o te aterteir trias. *n an cases, tese en ad been convicted and ad co#eted #risonsentences. Te ere a eadin4 nora ives en intervieed. &ne as a universit4raduate, ive ere 4raduates o i4er tecnica institutes, nine ad co#eted at eastteir second ear o i4 scoo and on one ad no ore tan a #riar scooeducation.

6 o tese en ad been drated, irst into re4uar iitar service and ten into

s#eciai?ed units tat re3uired serviceen to torture #risoners. =e ound no record odein3uent or disturbed beavior beore teir iitar service. Hoever, e did ind severaeatures o te sodiers7 trainin4 tat e#ed to turn te into iin4 and abe torturers.

Te initia screenin4 or torturers as #riari based on #sica stren4t and5a##ro#riate7 #oitica beies, ic si# eant tat te recruits and teir aiies ereanticounists. Tis ensured tat te en ad ostie attitudes toard #otentia victisro te ver be4innin4.

&nce te ere actua servin4 as iitar #oice, te en ere aso screened or oterattributes. 6ccordin4 to orer torturer Micaes 'etrou, 5Te ost i#ortant criterion as


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tat ou ad to kee# our out sut. +econd, ou ad to so a44ression. Tird, ouad to be intei4ent and stron4. Fourt, ou ad to be 5teir an,7 ic eant tat ououd re#ort on te oters servin4 it ou, tat ;te oicers< coud trust ou and tat ououd oo teir orders bind.7

:indin4 te recruits to te autorit o /+6 be4an in basic trainin4, it #sica bruta

initiation rites. )ecruits teseves ere cursed, #unced, kicked and o44ed. Te ereorced to run unti te coa#sed and #revented ro reievin4 teseves or on4stretces o tie. Te ere re3uired to sear ae4iance to a sbo o autorit used bte re4ie (a #oster o a sodier su#eri#osed on a ar4e #oeni risin4 ro its onases!, and te ad to #roise on teir knees to obe teir coander-in-cie and teiitar revoution.

=ie bein4 arassed and beaten b teir oicers, serviceen ere re#eated tod oortunate te ere to ave oined te /+6, te stron4est and ost i#ortant su##ort ote re4ie. Te ere tod tat an /+6 servicean7s action is never 3uestioned" 5ou caneven o4 a aor.7 *n-4rou# an4ua4e e#ed te en to deveo# eitist attitudes.+erviceen used nicknaes or one anoter and, ater, te used te or victis and orte dierent etods o torture. 5Tea #art7 eant te beatin4 o a #risoner b a 4rou# oiitar #oice usin4 teir ists, and 5tea #art it toast7 eant ore severe 4rou# beatin4susin4 cubs. Gradua, te recruits cae to s#eak o a #eo#e o ere not in teir4rou#, #arents and aiies incuded, as beon4in4 to te 5outside ord.7

Te strain o obedience on te recruits as reduced in severa as. Durin4 basic trainin4,te ere 4iven dai 5nationa etica education7 ectures tat incuded indoctrinationa4ainst counis and eneies o te state. Durin4 ore advanced trainin4, te recruitsere constant reinded tat te #risoners ere 5ors,7 and tat te ad to 5crus7te. &ne an re#orted tat en e as torturin4 #risoners ater, e cau4t isere#eatin4 #rases ike 5bood counists7 tat e ad eard in te ectures.

Te iitar #oice used a carrot-and-stick etod to urter diinis te recruits7uneasiness about torture. Tere ere an reards, suc as reaed iitar rues atertrainin4 as co#eted, and torturers oten eren7t #unised or eavin4 ca# itout#erission. Te ere aoed to ear civiian cotes, to kee# teir air on4 and to driveiitar #oice cars or teir #ersona use. Torturers ere re3uent 4iven a eave oabsence ater te orced a conession ro a #risoner. Te ad an econoic beneitsas e, incudin4 ree bus rides and restaurant eas and ob #aceent en iitarservice as over. Tese ere te carrots.

Te sticks consisted o te constant arassent, treats and #unisent or disobedience.Te en ere treatened and intiidated, irst b teir trainers, ten ater b senior

serviceen. 56n oicer used to te us tat i a arder e#s a #risoner, e i take te#risoner7s #ace and te oe #atoon i o4 i,7 one an recaed. +odiers s#ied onone anoter, and even te ost successu torturers said tat te ere constant araid.

5ou i earn to ove #ain,7 one oicer #roised a recruit. +ensitivit to torture as buntedin severa ste#s. First, te en ad to endure it teseves, as i torture ere a nora act.Te beatin4s and oter torents inicted on te continued and becae orse. Net, teserviceen cosen or te 'ersecution +ection, te unit tat tortured #oitica #risoners,ere brou4t into contact it te #risoners b carrin4 ood to teir ces. Te ne en


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atced veteran sodiers torture #risoners, ie te stood 4uard. &ccasiona, teveterans oud order te to 4ive te #risoners 5soe bos.7

6t te net ste#, te en ere re3uired to #artici#ate in 4rou# beatin4s. ater, te eretod to use a variet o torture etods on te #risoners. Te ina ste#, te a##ointent to#rison arder or cie torturer, as announced sudden b te coander-in-cie,

eavin4 te en no tie to reect on teir ne duties.

Te Greek ea#e iustrates o te abiit to torture can be tau4t. Trainin4 tatincreases bindin4 and reduces strain can cause decent #eo#e to coit acts, oten overon4 #eriods o tie, tat oterise oud be untinkabe or te. +iiar tecni3ues canbe ound in iitar trainin4 a over te ord, en te intent is to teac sodiers to ki or#eror soe oter re#eent act. =e conducted etensive intervies it sodiers and e-sodiers in te B.+. Marines and te Green :erets, and e ound tat a te ste#s in ourtrainin4 ode ere #art and #arce o eite 6erican iitar trainin4. +odiers arescreened or inteectua and #sica abiit, acieveent and enta eat. :indin4be4ins in basic trainin4, it initiation rites tat isoate trainees ro societ, introducete to ne rues and vaues and eave te itte tie or cear tinkin4 ater eaustin4#sica eercise and scant see#. Harassent #as an i#ortant roe, and sodiers aresevere #unised or disobedience, it deerits, verba abuse, ours o caistenics andoss o eatin4, see#in4 and oter #rivie4es.

Miitar trainin4 4radua desensiti?es sodiers to vioence and reduces te strain noracreated b re#u4nant acts. Teir revusion is diinised b screain4 cants and son4sabout vioence and kiin4 durin4 arces and runs. Te ene is 4iven dero4ator naesand #ortraed as ess tan uanC tis akes it easier to ki te. %o#etin4 tetou4est #ossibe trainin4 and bein4 rearded b 5akin4 it7 in an eite cor#s brin4 tesodiers conidence and #ride, and tose o acco#is tis ee te can do antin4.56tou4 * tried to avoid kiin4, * earned to ave conidence in se and as never

araid,7 said a orer Green :eret o served in Iietna. 5*t as #art o te ob. . . .6none o 4oes trou4 tat kind o trainin4 coud do it.7

Te eectiveness o tese tecni3ues, as severa researcers ave son, is not iited tote ar. Histor teacer )onad Jones started at e caed te Tird =ave oveentas a cassroo e#erient to so is i4 scoo students o #eo#e i4t avebecoe Na?is in =ord =ar **. Jones be4an te Tird =ave deonstration b re3uirin4students to stand at attention in a uni3ue ne #osture and oo strict ne rues. Here3uired students to stand beside teir desks en askin4 or anserin4 3uestions and tobe4in eac stateent b sain4, 5Mr. Jones.7 Te students obeed. He ten re3uired teto sout so4ans, 5+tren4t trou4 disci#ine7 and 5+tren4t trou4 counit7 Jonescreated a saute or cass ebers tat e caed te Tird =ave" te ri4t and raised to

te souder it in4ers cured. Te saute ad no eanin4, but it served as a sbo o4rou# beon4in4 and a a o isoatin4 ebers ro outsiders.

Te or4ani?ation e#anded 3uick ro 20 ori4ina ebers to 100. Te teacer issuedebersi# cards and assi4ned students to re#ort ebers o didn7t co# it tene rues. Dutiu, 20 students #ointed accusin4 in4ers at teir cassates.

Ten Jones announced tat te Tird =ave as a 5nationide oveent to ind studentsiin4 to i4t or #oitica can4e,7 and e or4ani?ed a ra, ic dre a crod o 200students. 6t te ra, ater 4ettin4 students to saute and sout so4ans on coand,


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Jones e#ained te true reasons beind te Tird =ave deonstration. ike te Na?isbeore te, Jones #ointed out, 5ou bar4ained our reedo or te coort o disci#ine.7

Te students, at an a4e en 4rou# beon4in4 as ver i#ortant to te, ade 4oodcandidates or trainin4. Jones didn7t teac is students to coit atrocities, and te Tird=ave asted or on ive dasC in tat tie, oever, Jones created an obedient 4rou# tat

resebed in an as te Na?i out 4rou#s o =ord =ar ** (see 5Te Tird =ave"Na?is in a Hi4 +coo,7 'scoo4 Toda, Ju 19A!.

'scoo4ists %rai4 Hane, =. %urtis :anks and 'ii# ibardo ent even urter in arearkabe siuation o #rison ie done at +tanord Bniversit. =it no s#ecia trainin4and in on si das7 tie, te can4ed t#ica universit students into controin4, abusive4uards and servie #risoners.

Te students o a4reed to #artici#ate ere cosen rando to be 4uards or #risoners.Te ock 4uards ere 4iven uniors and ni4tsticks and tod to act as 4uards. 'risonersere treated as dan4erous criinas" oca #oice rounded te u#, in4er#rinted andbooked te and brou4t te to a siuated cebock in te baseent o te universit

#scoo4 de#artent. Bniored 4uards ade te reove teir cotin4, deousedte, 4ave te #rison uniors and #ut te in ces.

Te to 4rou#s o students, ori4ina ound to be ver siiar in ost res#ects, soedstrikin4 can4es itin one eek. 'risoners becae #assive, de#endent and e#ess. *ncontrast, 4uards e#ressed eein4s o #oer, status and 4rou# beon4in4. Te erea44ressive and abusive itin te #rison, insutin4 and buin4 te #risoners. +oe4uards re#orted ater tat te ad enoed teir #oer, ie oters said te ad nottou4t te ere ca#abe o beavin4 as te ad. Te ere sur#rised and disaed atat te ad done" 5*t as de4radin4. . . . To e, tose tin4s are sick. :ut te ;te#risoners< did evertin4 * said. Te abused eac oter because * re3uested te to. Noone 3uestioned autorit at a.7

Te 4uards7 beavior as siiar in to i#ortant as to tat o te Greek torturers. First,te deuani?ed teir victis. +econd, ike te torturers, te 4uards ere abusive onen te ere itin te #rison as. Te coud act reasonab outside te #risonsbecause te to #rison inuences o bindin4 and reduced strain ere absent.

6 tese can4es at +tanord occurred it no s#ecia trainin4, but te tecni3ues e aveoutined ere sti #resent. /ven itout trainin4, te student 4uards 5kne7 ro teevisionand ovies tat te ere su##osed to #unis #risonersC te 5kne7 te ere su##osedto ee su#eriorC and te 5kne7 te ere su##osed to bae teir victis. Teir onbeavior and tat o teir #eers 4radua nubed teir sensitivit to at te ere doin4,and te ere rearded b te #oer te ad over teir #risoners.

Tere is no evidence tat suc sort-ter e#erients #roduce astin4 eects. None erere#orted ro eiter te Tird =ave deonstration or te +tanord Bniversit siuation.Te +tanord stud, oever, as cut sort en de#ression, crin4 and #scosoaticinesses be4an to a##ear aon4 te students. 6nd studies o Iietna veterans avereveaed tat coittin4 aborrent acts, even under te etree conditions o ar, canead to on4-ter #robes. *n one stud o 10 Iietna veterans o cae to a tera#istor e#, aost 0 #ercent o te ere concerned about vioent acts te ad coittedie in te service. Te veterans re#orted eein4s o aniet, 4uit, de#ression and aninabiit to carr on intiate reationsi#s. *n a siiar asion, ater te a o te Greek


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dictatorsi# in 19AE, orer torturers be4an to re#ort ni4tares, irritabiit and e#isodes ode#ression.

5Torturin4 becae a ob,7 said orer Greek torturer 'etrou. 5* te oicers ordered ou tobeat, ou beat. * te ordered ou to sto#, ou sto##ed. ou never tou4t ou coud dooterise.7 His coents bear a disturbin4 resebance to te eein4s e#ressed b a

+tanord 4uard" 5=en * as doin4 it, * didn7t ee re4ret. . . . * didn7t ee 4uit. &naterards, en * be4an to reect . . . did it be4in to dan on e tat tis as a #art oe * adn7t knon beore.7

=e do not beieve tat torture cae natura to an o tese oun4 en. Haritos-Fatourosound no evidence o sadistic, abusive or autoritarian beavior in te Greek sodiers7istories #rior to teir trainin4. Tis, to4eter it our stud o Marine trainin4 and te+tanord and Tird =ave studies, eads to te concusion tat torturers ave nora#ersonaities. 6n o us, in a siiar situation, i4t be ca#abe o te sae cruet. &ne#robab cannot train a deran4ed sadist to be an eective torturer or kier. He ust be inco#ete contro o ise ie on te ob.

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