Guerra remota: a influência da distância física na redefinição do comportamento dos combatentes

Abstract

Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) were employed on a massive scale starting with the American campaign against terrorism following the attacks on the Twin Towers. Through the analysis of historical and contemporary cases, such as drone strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan, it is observed that drone technology, by enabling attacks to be carried out thousands of kilometers away, can impact the behavior of operators. Research on dehumanization and moral disengagement, developed by Herbert Kelman, Stanley Milgram, and Albert Bandura, as well as the concept of physical distancing by David Grossman, support the study, providing fundamental elements to understand the phenomena that occur in the human psyche, capable of promoting behaviors contrary to society’s moral standards. Dehumanization can be characterized by the disregard of essential human qualities. Moral disengagement can be facilitated when there is the presence of an authority figure, routinization of violence, or diffusion of responsibility. The dissertation reveals that despite the tactical advantages of drones, such as the elimination of physical risk for operators, there is a significant psychological cost. The research concludes that physical distancing in the use of RPA significantly impacts operator behavior, as it triggers phenomena such as the dehumanization of the enemy and the moral disengagement, resulting in a greater propensity for violent acts."