Execution teams who work at prisons tend to deny personal responsibility for the executions and state that they are just following orders. Such justifications for taking a human life illustrate that when people obey authority they can __________.
A) internally justify their actions
B) externally justify their actions
C) control the situation psychologically
D) influence others to do so as well

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Externally justifying their actions means they attribute their behavior to external demands or obligations, such as following orders, rather than to their own personal choices or moral judgments. This is a common psychological mechanism to reduce cognitive dissonance when actions conflict with personal beliefs or values.

Execution Teams Who Work at Prisons Tend to Deny Personal