AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Empirical studies have suggested that threatening one’s moral integrity activates a need to cleanse. This phenomenon has been termed the “Macbeth effect”-named after Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth who compulsively washed her hands in an attempt to clear her conscience after orchestrating murder.

Detailed explanation-2: -According to folklore, Macbeth was cursed from the beginning. A coven of witches objected to Shakespeare using real incantations, so they put a curse on the play. Legend has it the play’s first performance (around 1606) was riddled with disaster.

Detailed explanation-3: -Lady Macbeth meets the criteria for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). She experiences obsessions in the form of unwanted and persistent thoughts and urges. She attempts to neutralize these thoughts through another thought or action.

Detailed explanation-4: -Macbeth’s mental deterioration is evident from the beginning of the play. He is a victim of his own ambition because he aspires to be king but lacks the strength of character to manage the ambition. In other words, he can do anything to be king but cannot handle the consequences of his actions.