“Merely Bystanders: The Psychology of Courage and Inaction” CAST Documentary Program

The Psychology of Courage: Why do good people so often do nothing when a seemingly small action could make a big difference? A pioneering social psychologist, Catherine Sanderson, explains why moral courage is so rare, and reveals how it can be triggered or trained. We are bombarded every day by reports of bad behavior, from sexual harassment to political corruption and bullying belligerence. It’s tempting to blame evil acts on evil people, but that leaves the rest us off the hook. Silence, after all, can perpetuate cruelty. This class draws on the latest developments in psychology and neuroscience to tackle an urgent question: Why do so many of us fail to intervene when we’re needed - and what would it take to make us step up? Presented by Dr. Catherine Sanderson, the Poler Family Professor and former Chair of Psychology at Amherst College and is often cited as the school’s most popular professor. Dr. Sanderson has published over 25 journal articles in addition to three college textbooks. In 2012, she was named one of the country’s “Top 300 Professors” by the Princeton Review. Provided by the CAST Senior Center, our Documentary Programs provide an endless variety of interesting subjects in a prerecorded, professional film format. They take us across the country and around the world, experiencing and learning about places and people which we wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to experience. Our documentaries are entertaining, informative, and inspiring. They offer a unique and powerful form of storytelling that captures your attention and provoke thought and discussion. Scheduled every Tuesday afternoon, unless noted, at 1pm at the CAST Senior Center, our Documentary Programs are free and open to the public. There are no membership dues, and everyone is welcome to attend. Programming is provided by Curiosity U and other online providers. Check out our documentary program schedule every month and join us. We look forward to seeing you!