Obedience Experiment and Its Application

Social psychologists experiment and research human behavior. In 1961, after the trial of Adolph Eichmann, a high ranking Nazi Colonel, a question arose of whether Eichmann and his accomplices were just following orders. In other words, how far would someone go just because they were told to do so. Some may think that the stakes at hand may play a part in this decision, but social psychologist, Stanly Milgram, devised an experiment that showed that perhaps the consequences of not following the order were not very strong in their effects on how far a person would go.

The participants for the study were recruited through advertisements and the experiment was conducted in two basement rooms at Yale. The advertisement said that the participants would be paid whether or not they completed the study. The were told that the experiment was on the effects of punishment on learning.

In the basement, there was an "experimenter," a man in a lab coat, who showed no emotion, another "participant," who not really a participant, but rather a confederate, who was later made to be a "learner." This left the actual participant. The real participant was named a "teacher." (Follow with me. It'll come together any minute now...)

The "teacher" was asked by the experimenter to read off word pairs to the "learner." After reading the list, the "teacher" was instructed to read the first word to see if the "learner" could respond with the second word from that pair. I forgot to add the most important part of this experiment. The "learner" was attached to an electro-shock generator, which the "teacher" was under the impression was fully working (which it wasn't, because you can't actually administer the shock, right? keep reading :) )
If the "learner" made an incorrect response, the "teacher" was told to administer shock. They were also told to increase the voltage with every incorrect answer.

"After a number of voltage level increases, the (learner) started to bang on the wall that separated him from the (participant). After several times banging on the wall and complaining about his heart condition, all responses by the learner cease(d). (Milgram, 1963)"

The "teacher" became uncomfortable, but after the experimenter instructed him to continue, he continued. If the "teacher" would not continue after being instructed to do so, then the experiment was over. Otherwise, the experiment continued up to a "450 volt shock."

"In Milgram's first set of experiments, 65% (26 out of 40)of experimental participants administered the experiment's final 450-volt shock, though many were quite uncomfortable in doing so; everyone paused at some point and questioned the experiment, some even saying they would return the check for the money they were paid. No participant steadfastly refused to give further shocks before the 300-volt level. (Milgram, 1963)"


Information from Wikipedia and following source:
Milgram, Stanley (1963). "Behavioral Study of Obedience". Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 67: 371–378.

Click here for the full text of the scholarly article

Click here to read the account of one of the actual participants