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13 more psychological reasons why good people do bad things

Emmie Martin   

13 more psychological reasons why good people do bad things
Science1 min read

red orange is the new black

Ali Goldstein for Netflix

Even good-hearted people can get caught up in major scandals.

From Enron to Bernie Madoff, there seem to be countless cases of once-successful people ending up on the wrong side of the law.

So what causes smart, successful people to get wrapped up in illegal activities and unethical behavior? Dr. Muel Kaptein of the Rotterdam School of Management tackled this question in a paper about why good people do bad things.

These major crimes usually escalate from smaller offenses or lapses in judgment that are rationalized by a slew of psychological justifications.

Business Insider previously collected insights from Kaptein that explain a few of the various reasons why good people lie, cheat, and steal - but that was just the beginning. Below, find 13 more reasons good people do bad things.

This is an update of a story originally reported by Max Nisen and Aimee Groth.

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