The Milgram Experiment: Understanding Obedience to Authority
A Detailed Examination of Stanley Milgram's Groundbreaking Study on Human Behavior and Ethical Boundaries
Stanley Milgram's famous experiment on obedience, conducted in the early 1960s, was designed to investigate the extent to which individuals would follow instructions from an authority figure, even when those instructions involved harming another person.
Objective Description of the Experiment
Objective: The experiment aimed to study the conflict between obedience to authority and personal conscience. Specifically, Milgram wanted to understand how far people would go in obeying an authority figure when instructed to perform actions that conflicted with their moral beliefs.
Method:
Participants:
Volunteers were recruited through newspaper ads and direct mail, with a diverse demographic in terms of age, occupation, and education.
The study included 40 male participants, aged 20-50, from the New Haven area.
Setup:
Participants were told they were taking part in a study on the effects of punishment on learning.
Each participant was introduced to a confederate (an actor working with Milgram) who would play the role of the "learner."
The participant was assigned the role of the "teacher."
Procedure:
The "teacher" (participant) and the "learner" (confederate) were placed in separate rooms. The teacher could hear but not see the learner.
The teacher was instructed to administer an electric shock to the learner each time the learner made a mistake on a memory task. Shocks were to increase in intensity with each mistake, ranging from 15 volts to 450 volts.
The shock generator had labels indicating the intensity of the shocks, from "Slight Shock" to "Danger: Severe Shock" and, at the highest levels, "XXX."
Authority Figure:
An experimenter (authority figure) in a lab coat was present in the room with the teacher. The experimenter instructed the teacher to continue administering shocks despite the learner's (pre-recorded) protests, pleas, and eventually, silence, which simulated unconsciousness.
Results:
A significant majority of participants (65%) continued to administer shocks up to the maximum voltage of 450 volts.
Many participants showed signs of stress, tension, and reluctance but continued to follow the experimenter's instructions.
Conclusion:
The experiment demonstrated that ordinary people are likely to follow orders from an authority figure even when those orders involve harming another person.
Milgram concluded that obedience to authority is deeply ingrained in people, often overriding their moral and ethical standards.
Ethical Considerations:
Deception: Participants were deceived about the true nature of the experiment and believed they were actually administering shocks.
Psychological Stress: Participants experienced significant psychological stress and emotional conflict during the experiment.
Debriefing: After the experiment, participants were thoroughly debriefed to explain the true nature of the study and to alleviate any potential harm.
Milgram's experiment on obedience remains one of the most well-known and controversial studies in psychology, providing valuable insights into human behavior and the power of authority.
Other Groundbreaking Experiments
Stanley Milgram is best known for his groundbreaking experiments on obedience to authority, but he also conducted other significant studies in social psychology. Here are some of the key experiments he is known for:
1. Obedience to Authority Experiment (1961-1963)
Overview: Investigated how far individuals would go in obeying an authority figure when instructed to perform actions conflicting with their personal conscience.
Findings: A significant majority of participants were willing to administer potentially lethal electric shocks to a stranger when instructed by an authority figure.
2. Small World Experiment (1967)
Overview: Studied the interconnectedness of social networks and led to the concept of "six degrees of separation."
Method: Participants were asked to send a letter to a target person by passing it through acquaintances, with the goal of reaching the target in as few steps as possible.
Findings: The average number of intermediaries was found to be about six, suggesting a surprisingly small number of connections between any two people in the world.
3. Lost Letter Experiment (1969)
Overview: Explored social attitudes and behaviors by observing the return rate of "lost" letters.
Method: Stamped and addressed letters were "lost" in public places, and the return rate was measured based on the address (e.g., letters addressed to socially desirable or undesirable groups).
Findings: The return rate varied significantly depending on the perceived social desirability of the addressee, providing insights into social biases and behaviors.
4. Familiar Stranger Phenomenon
Overview: Investigated how people recognize and react to strangers they frequently see but never interact with.
Findings: People often recognize and feel a sense of familiarity with strangers they see regularly in specific contexts (e.g., on their daily commute), highlighting subtle aspects of social recognition and interaction.
These experiments collectively contributed to a deeper understanding of social behavior, network theory, and human interaction, cementing Milgram's legacy as a pioneering social psychologist.