Live NOW ~ A Science of Being Magazine
Darkness Increases Dishonesty and Self-Interested Behavior
Excerpts taken from Good Lamps Are the Best Police: Darkness Increases Dishonesty and Self-Interested Behavior, published by the Association for Psychological Science.
"Psychological scientists Chen-Bo Zhong, Vanessa K. Bohns and Francesca Gino conducted three experiments to test whether darkness can license dishonest and self-interested behaviors.
[The three experiments involved participants in darkened or well lit rooms, or, wearing sunglasses or clear glasses. In each experiment the participants had to perform a task that involved either being honest about the results of a self test or being generous to a stranger.]
Across all three experiments, darkness had no bearing on actual anonymity, yet it still increased morally questionable behaviors. The researchers suggest that the experience of darkness may induce a sense of anonymity that is disproportionate from actual anonymity in a given situation. Zhong explains, “Imagine that a person alone in a closed room is deciding whether to lie to a total stranger in an email. Clearly, whether the room is well-lit or not would not affect the person’s actual level of anonymity. Nevertheless, darkness may license unethical behavior in such situations."
Most criminal assaults and certain other types of crime occur at night and common thought is that the darkness provides easy concealment for criminals. While there is truth to that, science is shedding some light (no pun intended) on another reason - darkness actually fosters a sense of anonymity in the mind, which can embolden some individuals to act on their negative thoughts.
Daytime is the realm of Light, the positive, activity. The light of the sun illuminates the earth just as the Light of our Higher Self illuminates our mind. Sunshine is experienced as bright light and heat. It is vital for life on Earth. Plants use it in photosynthesis, it drives the ocean currents and even humans must have a certain amount of direct sunlight for the production of vitamin D. Lack of exposure to sunlight during winter months or in locations where the days are shorter for much of the year can lead to seasonal affective disorder in some people.
Nighttime is the realm of darkness, the negative, inactivity. The darkness represents the unknown, and that which is hidden. The light at night mainly comes from the moon, which is actually reflected sunlight, and even that goes through a cycle of light and dark. The darkness itself is not 'bad', it is actually needed in our current state of evolution. We need to rest so our physical bodies can heal, and the darkness of night triggers chemical responses in the brain and body that lead to sleep.
So what about that study? Let's take a deeper look at it. The darkness was found to foster a sense of anonymity in the minds of the participants, despite the fact that they could be clearly seen in the darkened room or were simply wearing sunglasses. This perceived anonymity presented the participants with an opportunity to act on their negative thoughts. They may have felt they would not get caught or be punished for their wrongdoing. Another way of looking at it is that they had a lack of Light from their Higher Self, or Soul.
Are we ever really anonymous? Is there ever a time in our lives when "no one is looking"? You might think yes, but the answer is no. Your Soul, which is indissolubly connected with the Great Principle, sees every action, hears every thought. Plus, the Law of Cause and Effect is accurate. No cause, regardless of how small or insignificant, can remain unmanifested. It may be a long time - even another lifetime - before the effect is seen. This may seem discouraging to some, but it is in reality very encouraging. It presents you with boundless opportunities for change. You become the captain of your ship, following the guiding Light of your Soul!
The behavior in the study was not as serious as violent criminal activity, however, it was not FourSquare. That type of behavior comes from the subconscious, the garbage pail of mind. There in the darkness of ignorance, negative thoughts grow and are eventually acted upon by unconscious individuals. There have been cases where people go on a murder rampage and once it is over, have no recollection of what happened, or end up killing themselves. When you look into the eyes of these individuals there is no Light, no Love. They look dead, despite being alive. The darkness of subconsciousness is like a dirty film (or dark sunglasses!) over the clear glass of your conscious mind. When that film is wiped away the Light of Life, of Intelligence, of Truth and of Love can shine through.
By VALB
