Reciprocal irresponsibility theory explains the paradoxical behavior of ordinary, non-sadistic individuals operating within organizations that pursue injurious, malevolent, and/or criminal ends. This empirically grounded criminological theory was developed through use of a case analysis methodology focused on actors involved in perpetrating and facilitating the 'Final Solution'. Individual-level explanations concerned with psychopathy or fundamental immorality are commonly forwarded as explanations of injurious historical calamities. However, the breadth of participation in malevolent mass social movements, exemplified by the Holocaust, renders these types of individual-level explanations causally implausible. In response, reciprocal irresponsibility theory explains the contributory behavior of low-level, working-class individuals on an organizational rather than an individual-level. Reciprocal irresponsibility theory is concerned with the relationships among individuals working within hierarchical organizations, and is explained as follows. Relationships exist within every organization between those considered 'superiors', those in intermediary positions, and those considered 'subordinates'. Within a hierarchical chain of command, 'superiors' are relieved of a sense of responsibility for crimes committed and harms inflicted when they forward orders to subordinates, and thus are not personally involved in the implementation. Individuals in subordinate roles are also relieved of a sense of responsibility because they are merely 'following orders'. An extended network of intermediaries only serves to exacerbate the resultant isolation of all actors from feelings of personal responsibility towards malevolent group ends. Thus, the compartmentalized nature of hierarchical organizations works to shield individuals on all levels from a sense of responsibility concerning their contributions towards criminal and injurious organizational outcomes. This is the consequence of an elementary social dynamic, reciprocal irresponsibility, that insulates both 'superiors', 'intermediaries', and 'subordinates' from engaging in actions that can be considered to emanate from the imposition of their free will. Thus, the organization is free to pursue malevolent ends all-the-while those within it retain conventional social ties. Importantly, this explanation is not contingent upon the existence of individual-level pathologies, insulating it from the explanatory implausibility that plagues theories at that level, given the breadth of participation in these types of socially injurious events. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester, 2010. / April 30, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references. / Dan Maier-Katkin, Professor Directing Dissertation; Sumner Twiss, University Representative; Bruce Bullington, Committee Member; Cecil Greek, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_254377 |
| Contributors | Dallier, Douglas J. (authoraut), Maier-Katkin, Dan (professor directing dissertation), Twiss, Sumner (university representative), Bullington, Bruce (committee member), Greek, Cecil (committee member), College of Criminology and Criminal Justice (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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