Stanley_Milgram’S_Research_on_Obedience_and_His_Contribution_to_Our_Understanding_of_Human_Behaviour

This report aims to illustrate how Stanley Milgram’s research into obedience to authority has influenced our understanding of human behaviour today. Background In 1961 the psychologist Stanley Milgram (1933-1984) began research on obedience to authority. Influenced by the cruelties committed in the second world war he wished to discover what made ordinary people commit evil deeds (Banyard, 2010). Milgram took forty male volunteers who believed they were taking part in a laboratory study on the effects of punishment on memory and learning. They were asked to give an ever increasing range of electric shocks to a ‘learner’ for every question he answered incorrectly. Positioned in separate rooms, the ‘teacher’ could hear cries of discomfort and then pain from the shocked ‘learner’, yet many continued to full voltage. In total, 65% continued to the maximum 450volts at the request of the lab coated, ‘authority figure’ in charge (Banyard, 2010). Further variations on the study placed the authority figure and ‘the learner’ various distances from the ‘teacher’. The further out of sight the authority figure, the more likely ‘the teacher’ was to disobey and stop the shocks much sooner. Conversely the nearer the ‘learner’ and more obvious their distress, the less likely they would continue to harm them with extreme shocks (Banyard, 2010). In reality no actual shocks were administered and the screams of pain were entirely staged. As the participant knew nothing of this until the completion of the experiment many found their participation very distressful. This led to much debate concerning such experiments and the ethics (difference between right and wrong) involved. Milgram’s experiments triggered much stricter guidelines to be developed and the experiment would not be allowed to take place similarly today (Banyard, 2010). How Milgram changed popular opinion Before commencing his experiment Milgram asked a selection of adult males to predict how far they believed the participants would go up the scale of shocks. None believed that any would choose full voltage. Popular opinion at the time suggested anyone who could behave in such a way or commit evil and cruel acts towards others was a monster. Milgram’s studies showed that this was evidently not the case and quite ordinary men were indeed capable of inflicting harm on others when requested to do so (Banyard, 2010). Changing our way of looking at history Organisations such as police and armies could not function without obedience to authority, so in many situations it is essential. Christopher Browning (1992) used Milgram’s findings to explain the terrible actions of Reserve Police battalion 101, a German killing unit in the Second World War. Milgram’s research has also shaped the views of historians (Banyard, 2010). Further studies and virtual worlds Milgram’s work has encouraged many further studies in obedience. Charles Hofling et al. (1966) tested real-life nurses to see if they would obey a doctor’s request to administer a fatal dose of medication. Nearly all followed the instruction though it was breaking hospital procedures (Banyard, 2010). Modern technology has allowed his experiments to be repeated, but in a more ethical and creative way. Mel Slater and colleagues (2006) used a ‘virtual’ computer generated character in place of a human ‘learner’ to perform an obedience experiment. The results were similar to the findings of Milgram’s. This has led us to question the effects virtual people and worlds may have on us all as they become more apparent through computer games and the internet (Banyard, 2010). Conclusion Milgram’s experiments and the many similar studies he has encouraged, have shown, that a high level of people is willing to follow orders given by a figure of authority. This is regardless of what they are asked to do and what their conscious tells them is wrong (Banyard, 2010). Though obeying may be extremely unpleasant, or worse, to themselves and others, the power of the situation and the authority figure can be enough to convince them to continue. It seems that we are capable of offloading the responsibility for these actions on to the powerful authority figure telling us what to do. Milgram himself believes, ‘it’s not sadistic impulses; rather the subject goes on because he is locked into a situation from which he is unable to escape’. Milgram on Milgram (2010) However, many factors such as the proximity of their victim and the setting, situation and group pressure also have an effect on how far each individual is willing to go to obey orders (Banyard, 2010). Milgram’s studies are much debated to this day and there have been ‘few studies in psychology that demonstrate, in such a dramatic and disturbing way, the power of the situation’ (Banyard, 2010, p.62). References Brace, N. and Byford, J. (2010) DSE141 Discovering Psychology, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Milgram on Milgram: Part 1 (Obedience experiments) (2010) (video), DSE141 Discovering psychology, Milton Keynes, The Open University. Browning, C. (1992) Ordinary Men, Brace, N. and Byford, J. (2010) Discovering Psychology, Milton Keynes, The Open University.