Sanitizing language increases willingness to engage in harmful activities

Evidence

Linguistic camouflaging of the detrimental effects of social policies and practices is a flourishing morally neutralizing strategy (Bolinger, 1980; Lakoff, 2002; Lutz, 1987; Rothwell, 1982). Sanitizing language is not just a word game, however. It shapes people’s perception of reality and increases their willingness to engage in detrimental activities (Bandura, 1999). — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 2694

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement: How People Do Harm…, 2694
• XREF: connects to: Technocratic report genres enable megadam harm by masking intent in affectless language — Rob Nixon, Slow Violence and the Environmentalism…, 472