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VOLUME 3, ISSUE 4 PSYCHNEWS INTERNATIONAL December 1998
-- AN ONLINE PUBLICATION --
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SECTION C: NEWS SECTION SURVEY
CONTEMPLATING MORAL RESPONSIBILITY
Donald P. Corriveau, Ph.D.
Managing Editor
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In our last issue, I asked readers how they would respond to
a hypothetical situation in which a person confessed on the
Internet to killing his 5 year old daughter. As readers
discovered, the scenario described the details of a real
case in which an online confession resulted in the eventual
arrest of Larry Froistad. Candidly, I voiced my astonishment
that only three people notified police of this morbid online
confession. My sentiments generated criticism, even among our
own editorial staff. Stripped of contextual parameters, the
term "moral responsibility" hit a nerve. I wondered privately
whether our technologically advanced society had become morally
abdicated.
How would PN readers have reacted to this online confession?
Sixty two readers completed the online survey and a few others
emailed extended comments. Respondents were asked to read the
"hypothetical scenario" and indicate all the things they would
do if they read this type of newsgroup message. Here are the
results of our PsychNews survey:
Ignore the message. 8.06%
Reason that the child was already dead and
that nothing could be done to
save her. 8.06%
Engage in flame wars with other list
members and defend Larry's behavior. 0.00%
Assume that no one in his right mind
would confess openly to this tragedy
and assume that it must be a hoax. 30.65%
Assume that memory of the fire must
have been so painful that Larry's
damaged mind was producing a false memory. 4.84%
Find the name of a reputable counselor
and send this recommendation as a
back-channel message directly to Larry. 16.13%
Counsel Larry directly by saying things
such as, "Larry, please don't
blame yourself." 6.45%
Contact an ethics review board
(e.g., through APA) and seek advice
on what you should do. 32.26%
Show good leadership and explain to
group members that Larry was
mentally ill and that the child
probably never existed. 0.00%
Consider informing the police but wait
to see if anyone else on the list
would do so first. 8.06%
Notify police immediately. 56.45%
The most striking result of our little survey was that the
majority of respondents indicated that they would notify
police immediately. This projection is vastly different from
the 1.5% found in the actual Froistad case (3 of 200 members).
Of course, saying one would follow a particular course of
action may not be consistent with actual behavior.
The next frequently cited course of action was to contact an
ethics review board. I wondered how long it would take
to process such an inquiry. Would advice be forthcoming?
As John Grohol's article indicated, the APA's principles
of ethical conduct don't seem to apply here. Are we lacking
ethical precedents?
The third most frequently cited option was to "Assume that
no one in his right mind would confess openly to this
tragedy and assume that it must be a hoax." Could it be
that a genuine naiveté permeated the membership of
Moderation Management? Hasn't Jerry Springer educated
the public on the many variants of bizarre human
behavior? One reader indicated that she would either
ignore the message or assume that it was a hoax and
then "...would try to engage in a direct dialogue with
Larry trying to seek more information/elaboration on
this first mail, asking him what would be his intention
by revealing this "story." Gee, I wonder what her
intention would be in understanding Larry's intentions.
I was pleased with the results that showed zero respondents
would "Show good leadership and explain to group members that
Larry was mentally ill and that the child probably never
existed." Yet, as Elisa DeCarlo described, this was the
course of action followed by the professional leader of
the Moderation Management group.
While not particularly popular (8.06%), I'm still perplexed
by anyone reasoning that they would do nothing because the
child was already dead. Are we to ignore all murders
because it's too late to help the victims?
One reader (Jean) wrote, "Calling the police is not a
satisfying solution. The harm to the daughter is done
and I think that by his very action this person is
indicating an autodestructive attitude (he is not
taking adequate care of himself, even if his confession
is entirely true). I would be inclined to try and do
something to stop further damages to him and others."
Showing her compassion, Jean also wrote, "I would
probably (knowing the author as a person would make
a big difference) hesitate between a call to the police
(where?) and a private communication with the author
of the message and the list owner." Well Jean, what
if the list owner told you it was all a figment of
Froistad's imagination?
Certainly, I can understand the initial hesitancy of
many readers. One person wrote, "Initially, I would
think that these events are so heinous that it is
unthinkable how anyone could possibly do this to their
child. Furthermore, even if it did happen, that anyone
would actually confess to it in public. However, I
suppose that it wouldn't be too long before I would
have to inform someone - it may not be immediate as
within a few minutes, but within a few days. I couldn't
take the chance that it could be real."
Another reader (psychologist from Buffalo) was less
hesitant as he wrote, "In my opinion, there is no
professional ethical obligation to report this confession.
Rather, there is a much simpler, more basic, human moral
obligation to seek justice for such an act. Nevertheless,
had he confessed it within a private therapeutic
relationship, I believe that the therapist would be
ethically obligated to keep it confidential. But the
man confessed it publicly! This is (or ought to be) a
no-brainer... Dr. Grohol's comments scare me a bit.
Lets leave it at that."
One reader happened to be one of Rotger's former associates
who wrote, "I was horrified to discover that the psychologist
involved is a man I know and have worked with. I feel sorry
for him personally, but his judgment IMO couldn't have been
worse. Painful and frightening as it would have been to
carry out, the right answer was totally obvious."
Perhaps the most interesting quote was enclosed in a
reader's "signature file". It was a quote by Merton that
read, "Living with other people and learning to lose
ourselves in the understanding of their weakness and
deficiencies can help us to become true contemplatives."
Have we become overly contemplative? Does anyone wish
to discuss Bill and Monica?
Incidentally, Larry Froistad was arrested and found
guilty. As an aside, child pornography was found on his
computer. He has since confessed to having sexually
molested his young daughter. I thank you, Elisa DeCarlo.
Let us continue to understand human weakness and
deficiencies but let us not lose ourselves in this quest.
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