Milgram’s Obedience to Authority Experiment 2009 1/3
Stanley Milgram, a social psychologists from Yale, conducted what is known today as one of the most controversial studies in the field of psychology. His experiment now known as the “The Milgram Experiment” was designed to see and understand how individuals would act under certain immoral orders were given from an authority figure. The video posted along with this blog is actual footage of Milgram’s experiment. This footage shows a “teacher” (participant being studied) administrating “painful electric shocks” to the “learner” (can be thought of as actor-part of the experiment) whenever the learner has answered a question wrong. The participant is told to increase intensity of shocks throughout the experiment which can be thought to reach “lethal doses of shock”. Throughout the whole procedure, the “scientist” (who is wearing a white lab coat which helps exemplify an authoritative figure) is sitting nearby the participant and demanding that he continues on with the shocks whenever the participant considers to end his role in the study. Approximately 65% of the participants reached the max. intensity of 450volts. Fortunately the shocks in this experiment were not actually being received by the “learner” as the participant was made to believe. However this experiment concluded that people have a high proneness to obey authority figures.
Our society is structured in a way in which certain authority figures such as parents, teachers, government officials and more are obeyed because we may believe that they are capable of providing honorable and ethical choices for us. Nonetheless the Milgram Experiment proved that human beings are capable of obeying not so ethical commands as well. Unfortunately extreme cases of this can be seen throughout the world: the Nazi Germany, genocide in Rwanda, suicide bombers of 9/11, etc.
When we discussed this experiment in class I found it preposterous. While watching this video I am really shocked, no pun intended. I understand how people tend to listen to those people who are in a “leader” position. But I can’t understand how people can listen to instructions from someone to hurt someone else and follow, because they’re an authority figure.
I think there’s a moment, if a person was in this situation or one like it, where you have to stop and think whether what your doing is right or wrong. I find this experiment so hard to believe. If I was in that position I would have got up and left the moment I was explained what I would be partaking in.
The idea of people following the instructions of an authority is common and almost implied in todays society. It is really sad that 65% of the people in this experiment were willing to lethally shock people for the sake of this experiment. Whether they were actually shocking the people or not is irrelevant because they believed they were. Even though they were told they were doing an experiment and everything was set up in a very professional matter, it is sad that these people were willing to inflict pain on these innocent people.
I think this experiment should be an eye opener for people. There are moment and places where one should submit to an authority figure. But I think the moment that authority figure expects you to do something that you know is not okay, people should have the ability to draw a line and say no.
Milgram’s experiment certainly demonstrates that people are capable of obeying unethical commands from authoritative figures. However, variations of this experiment also raise many points that can influence whether a person will actually obey or not. One factor is the proximity of the “scientist” in relation to the “teacher.” As the physical distance between the scientist and the teacher increases, the obedience of the participant decreases. Responsibility of the situation is also a crucial factor. In the original experiment, when participants questioned the researcher about who would take responsibility, the researcher responded by assuming all responsibility. Obedience would decrease when the researcher did not assume responsibility. Other factors deal with the reputation of the institution, and the status of the authoritative figure. For example, when a variation of the experiment was conducted at a run-down office, obedience from the participants decreased. Since the original experiment was conducted at Yale University, the obedience levels were much higher. The status of the authoritative figure pertains to the physical appearance of the scientist. A lab coat signified a higher status, whereas casual clothing decreased the scientist’s status, and consequently lowered obedience levels.
As such, even though we know that people are capable of obeying unethical commands, only under certain conditions is obedience possible. It is frightening however, that powerful institutions are able to manipulate these conditions and force obedience. Luckily, I did not encounter any situations like these yet. To an everyday civilian, encountering renowned people is unlikely. We are more likely to meet other authoritative figures such as police officers, teachers, and doctors. Obeying these figures is another story since many other factors will apply.