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The Milgram experimentPeople obey extreme orders from authority figures
In 1961 Stanley Milgram began carrying out a series of now notorious experiments testing the extent to which people would obey instructions from an authority figure if those instructions involved harming another person
Participant Stooge Stooge
At the start of the experiment participants were introduced to another ‘participant’ (actually a confederate of the researcher)
The participants drew lots to determine who would be the ‘teacher’ and who would be the ‘learner’ (although this was fixed so that the confederate would always become the learner)
Teacher Learner
Experimenter
The learner was taken into one room and strapped into an electric chair
They were then given a list of word pairs to memorise
Sit here please
This looks ominous…
The teacher was then taken into another room containing an electric shock generator
You will use this apparatus to teach the learner when they make a mistake
Low voltage – slight shock
Danger – severe shock
The teacher tested the learner by reading out the first word in each of the pairs and offering four options for the learner to choose the second paired word from
When the learner responded correctly, the teacher did nothing
I’m glad he got that right
When the learner gave a wrong answer, the teacher was told to administer an electric shock, increasing the voltage each time another wrong answer was given
The learner gave mostly wrong answers (on purpose)
The responses to the shocks that the teacher heard were tape recordings
Please continue
Aargh!Oh no!
If the teacher protested as the voltage went up, the experimenter gave four scripted answers insisting they continue
If the participant maintained their protest after all four orders had been given the experiment ended
Otherwise the experiment ended after the teacher had administered the highest shock – 450 volts
The experiment requires you to continue
Please don’t!
This is horrible!
It is absolutely essential that you continue
Please I have a heart condition — I
can’t take this!
I can’t believe they’re making me do
this!
You have no other choice but to continue
…WHY?!!!
Two thirds of participants (teachers) administered electric shocks up to the highest level (450 volts) – even though this would have been fatal
All participants administered shocks up to 300 volts
Conclusion
The majority of people will obey orders from authority figures even to the extent of killing an innocent person
Reference
Behavioural Study of Obedience The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, Vol 67(4), Oct 1963, 371-378 Stanley Milgram