Manufacturing Pessimism: Structural Incentives and Social Psychology’s Narrative of Human Nature
Perspectives on Psychological Science
Published online on July 22, 2026
Abstract
Perspectives on Psychological Science, Ahead of Print.
Social psychology presents itself as liberal, yet its dominant narratives—obedience, cruelty, conformity, and bias—reflect a persistently pessimistic portrayal of human nature. Here I argue that this pattern is structurally produced. A two-level framework ...
Social psychology presents itself as liberal, yet its dominant narratives—obedience, cruelty, conformity, and bias—reflect a persistently pessimistic portrayal of human nature. Here I argue that this pattern is structurally produced. A two-level framework ...