Would they refuse to obey if the order went against their values or social expectations?
Those questions were at the heart of an infamous and controversial study known as the Milgram obedience experiments.
Yale UniversitypsychologistStanley Milgramconducted these experiments during the 1960s.
Milgram’s original “shock box” displayed at the Ontario Science Centre.Isabelle Adam(CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)via Flickr
They explored the effects of authority on obedience.
Despite its problems, the study has, without question, made a significant impact onpsychology.
Milgram’s findings suggested the answer was yes, they would.
In exchange for their participation, each person was paid $4.50.
The final three switches were labeled simply with an ominous “XXX.”
Once they reached the 300-volt level, the learner would bang on the wall and demand to be released.
Beyond this point, the learner became completely silent and refused to answer any more questions.
The experimenter then instructed the participant to treat this silence as an incorrect response and deliver a further shock.
Most participants asked the experimenter whether they should continue.
From the get-go, the ethics of his experiments were highly dubious.
Participants were subjected to significant psychological and emotional distress.
The researchers reported that they explained the procedures and the use of deception.
The researchers made several alterations to Milgram’s experiment.
One study examined people’s beliefs about how they would do compared to the participants in Milgram’s experiments.
They found that most people believed they would stop sooner than the average participants.
Agents then received orders to shock the victim.
The results suggest that only around 3.3% disobeyed the experimenter’s orders.
During the experimental sessions, the experimenters often went off-script and coerced the subjects into continuing the shocks.
Few Participants Were Really Debriefed
Milgram suggested that the subjects were “de-hoaxed” after the experiments.
Instead, Milgram’s sessions were mainly focused on calming the subjects down before sending them on their way.
Many participants left the experiment in a state of considerable distress.
Such findings cast Milgram’s results in a new light.
In other words, the perception of pain increased defiance, while skepticism of pain increased obedience.
Regram
Recent findings undermine the scientificvalidityof the study.
Milgram’s work is also not truly replicable due to its ethical problems.
However, the study has led to additional research on how situational factors can affect obedience to authority.
Takeaways
Milgrams experiment has become aclassic in psychology, demonstrating the dangers of obedience.
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Perry G.Deception and illusion in Milgram’s accounts of the obedience experiments.Theory Appl Ethics.
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Elms AC.Obedience lite.American Psychologist.
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