The Dangers of Group Sadism:

Deindividuation In groups, people can lose their sense of individual identity. They may feel less personally responsible for their actions. This anonymity can lead to disinhibition, where people do things they wouldn’t do alone, including cruel or violent acts.

Moral Disengagement Groups may justify harmful behavior through: "Us vs. them" thinking Belief that the target deserves it. Obedience to authority or group norms This allows members to disengage from their own moral standards.

Group Polarization When people in a group discuss shared beliefs, those beliefs often become more extreme. A group may become more cruel or aggressive than any individual in it would be on their own.

Scapegoating & Dehumanization Groups sometimes bond by identifying a common enemy or scapegoat. The target is then dehumanized, making cruelty feel justified, or even righteous.