The Milgram Experiment showed us how unsettling it can be to follow orders. It revealed that regular people might do terrible things if an authority figure tells them to. This experiment was done in the early 1960s by a psychologist named Stanley Milgram at Yale University. He wanted to find out how far people would go to obey someone in charge, even when it went against what they believed was right.
The participants thought they were taking part in a study about learning and memory. They were told they were giving electric shocks to another person (who was actually an actor and not getting shocked at all). The shocks started at 15 volts and could go up to 450 volts, with labels ranging from "slight shock" to "danger: severe shock." Each time the actor made a mistake, the real participants were told to give a shock as a punishment.
What Milgram found was shocking. Even when the actor pretended to be in pain, many participants kept giving shocks. This was influenced by the experimenter, who was a person in authority. About 65% of people went all the way to the highest shock level. This showed important things about how people behave in groups, especially when it comes to following orders.
One big idea from the Milgram Experiment is called the "agentic state." This term means that people see themselves as just doing what an authority figure wants, which makes them feel less responsible for their actions. Milgram thought that this ability to step back from responsibility allows people to do things they normally wouldn’t.
The experiment also showed how different situations affect our behavior. For example, when the authority figure was in the same room, participants were much more likely to follow orders than when they were talking over the phone.
Looking at the bigger picture, the Milgram Experiment helps us think about society and historical events, like the Holocaust. Many people during those times said they were just following orders. This experiment reminds us that ordinary people can do awful things if they think they're just doing their job under someone else's command.
Milgram’s findings also showed the struggle between being an individual and following orders. Participants felt stressed as they tried to balance their own beliefs with what the authority figure asked. This pointed out how pressure from groups can lead people to ignore their own morals.
In summary, the Milgram Experiment was a strong example of how dangerous obedience can be and how it can push people to go against their own values. The results challenge us to think about how power and following orders work in society. Understanding this is very important for recognizing how group behavior can affect us, especially in situations where we feel pressured to conform or obey authority. It serves as a warning about the need for critical thinking and moral bravery when faced with authority.
The Milgram Experiment showed us how unsettling it can be to follow orders. It revealed that regular people might do terrible things if an authority figure tells them to. This experiment was done in the early 1960s by a psychologist named Stanley Milgram at Yale University. He wanted to find out how far people would go to obey someone in charge, even when it went against what they believed was right.
The participants thought they were taking part in a study about learning and memory. They were told they were giving electric shocks to another person (who was actually an actor and not getting shocked at all). The shocks started at 15 volts and could go up to 450 volts, with labels ranging from "slight shock" to "danger: severe shock." Each time the actor made a mistake, the real participants were told to give a shock as a punishment.
What Milgram found was shocking. Even when the actor pretended to be in pain, many participants kept giving shocks. This was influenced by the experimenter, who was a person in authority. About 65% of people went all the way to the highest shock level. This showed important things about how people behave in groups, especially when it comes to following orders.
One big idea from the Milgram Experiment is called the "agentic state." This term means that people see themselves as just doing what an authority figure wants, which makes them feel less responsible for their actions. Milgram thought that this ability to step back from responsibility allows people to do things they normally wouldn’t.
The experiment also showed how different situations affect our behavior. For example, when the authority figure was in the same room, participants were much more likely to follow orders than when they were talking over the phone.
Looking at the bigger picture, the Milgram Experiment helps us think about society and historical events, like the Holocaust. Many people during those times said they were just following orders. This experiment reminds us that ordinary people can do awful things if they think they're just doing their job under someone else's command.
Milgram’s findings also showed the struggle between being an individual and following orders. Participants felt stressed as they tried to balance their own beliefs with what the authority figure asked. This pointed out how pressure from groups can lead people to ignore their own morals.
In summary, the Milgram Experiment was a strong example of how dangerous obedience can be and how it can push people to go against their own values. The results challenge us to think about how power and following orders work in society. Understanding this is very important for recognizing how group behavior can affect us, especially in situations where we feel pressured to conform or obey authority. It serves as a warning about the need for critical thinking and moral bravery when faced with authority.