Milgram Experiment real footage

Summary

The transcript describes a 1962 experiment conducted at Yale University, where participants were instructed to administer electric shocks to a learner as part of a study on the effects of punishment on learning. Despite the learner's protests and the apparent pain, many participants continued to deliver higher shocks under the command of an authority figure. The study, which revealed unsettling truths about obedience to authority, highlighted the tendency of people to follow instructions even when it conflicts with their moral conscience. The results raised questions about human nature and authority's power over individual actions.

Takeaways

• 👨‍🔬 The experiment was conducted in May 1962 at Yale University, involving 40 male participants aged 20 to 50 from the Greater New Haven area.
• 📢 Participants were recruited through newspaper advertisements and direct mail, with varying occupations from corporate executives to plumbers.
• 📚 The experiment aimed to explore the effects of punishment on learning, focusing on how individuals respond to mistakes and punishment in teaching and learning scenarios.
• ⚡ The 'teachers' were instructed to administer electric shocks to the 'learners' when incorrect answers were given, with increasing voltage for each mistake.
• 🙈 The teachers were unaware that the learners were actually accomplices, and no real electric shocks were administered, but the teachers believed they were real.
• 👨‍⚕️ Despite predictions from psychiatrists that very few subjects would administer the maximum shock, 50% of the participants followed instructions to the highest level of 450 volts.
• 😨 Some participants expressed distress and concern about the effects of the shocks, questioning the ethics and responsibility of continuing the experiment.
• 🔌 The experimenter insisted on continuing, telling the teachers that they must proceed regardless of the learner's reactions, leading to internal conflict among participants.
• 👥 The study revealed disturbing insights into obedience to authority, showing that people are willing to inflict harm on others when directed by an authoritative figure.
• ⚖️ The results raised serious questions about human nature, authority, and morality, suggesting that individuals may act against their conscience under pressure from a legitimate authority.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of the experiment conducted in May 1962 at Yale University?

The experiment aimed to study the effects of punishment on learning, specifically how people react to punishment during the learning process and how they follow commands from authority figures.

How were the subjects for the experiment recruited, and what was their background?

The subjects were 40 males between the ages of 20 and 50, residing in the Greater New Haven area. They were recruited through newspaper advertisements and direct mail solicitation. Their backgrounds ranged from corporation presidents to plumbers, with varying levels of education, including some with doctorate degrees.

What role did the 'teacher' play in the experiment?

The 'teacher' was responsible for reading word pairs to the 'learner' and administering electric shocks whenever the learner gave an incorrect answer. The teacher was instructed to increase the intensity of the shocks with each wrong answer.

What was the role of the 'learner' in the experiment?

The 'learner' was actually an accomplice of the experimenter. Their role was to pretend to be receiving shocks and to respond to the 'teacher’s' instructions, although no real shocks were administered.

How did the experimenter instruct the teacher regarding the shock levels?

The experimenter told the teacher to administer higher levels of shocks each time the learner answered incorrectly. The teacher was urged to continue increasing the shocks despite the learner's apparent discomfort and protests.

How did the teacher feel about administering shocks, especially at higher levels?

Many teachers expressed discomfort and reluctance to continue administering shocks, especially as the voltage increased. They voiced concerns about the learner's well-being but were urged to continue by the experimenter.

How many of the subjects administered the highest shock level despite the learner’s protests?

Contrary to predictions that only a small fraction would go to the highest shock level, about 50% of the subjects obeyed the experimenter’s commands fully and administered the maximum 450-volt shock.

What predictions did psychiatrists make about the behavior of subjects in the experiment?

Psychiatrists predicted that only a little more than one-tenth of one percent of subjects would administer the highest shock on the board. This was significantly lower than the actual results, where 50% of subjects complied with the commands to deliver the maximum shocks.

What does the experiment suggest about human nature and authority?

The experiment suggests that a substantial proportion of people are willing to obey authority figures, even when it involves harming others. This highlights concerns about how individuals may follow commands from legitimate authorities without questioning the morality or consequences of their actions.

What concerns did the results of the experiment raise for the experimenter?

The results were disturbing to the experimenter, as they raised the possibility that humans might not resist cruelty and inhumane treatment when directed by authority figures. This prompted questions about the potential for governments or other powerful institutions to command harmful actions from individuals.