Lucifer effect
the tendency for iniquitous social contexts to negatively influence and transform human behavior, in some cases to an extreme degree (see power of the situation). According to this conceptualization, even individuals who are inherently moral in character and upbringing can, in a corruptive social setting, be induced to act dishonorably and unethically. This phenomenon takes its name from the Christian story of the angel Lucifer, who defied God’s authority and ultimately became the Devil. See also Stanford prison study. [coined by U.S. psychologist Philip G. Zimbardo (1933– ) in his 2008 book The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil]