Usually everyone thinks that they are
intelligent and they know what they are doing. We don’t like when someone gives
us an order. However, sometimes people are easy to convince of something, and
even manipulate. In 1963, psychologist Stanley Milgram wanted to see how many
people are really independent. The Milgram experiment turned out to be so
important that it became one of the classic psychology experiments. There are
even several movies about the experiment!
After World War II, psychologists wanted to
find out why some people were obedient and committed war crimes even though
they knew it was wrong. For example, many soldiers said afterwards that they
were “just following orders.” Stanley Milgram wanted to see if that is really
true.
The Milgram experiment involved three people.
The experimenter was the leader who organized everything, and the “student” was
a hired actor who worked with the experimenter. The experiment volunteers were
asked to become “teachers” and teach the “student” some words to remember. The
teacher and the student sat in separate rooms and communicated on the radio,
but the teacher was together with the experimenter.
The Milgram experiment overview.
However, every time the student made a mistake,
the experimenter told the teacher to give him an electric shock on a special
machine. At first the shock was weak, and when the student made more mistakes,
the shock became stronger. In the end, the student (really a hired actor who
was safe all the time) started screaming and complaining about heart pain.
However, the experimenter kept telling the teacher to continue “teaching.” He
said things like “The experiment requires that you continue” and “You have no
other choice. You must go on.” The experiment was recorded and you can see how
uncomfortable the “teachers” were, even though they still followed the orders!
In the end, 65% of the volunteer teachers
followed the orders until the end and shocked the student with 450 volts. In
reality, this shock is lethal.
The experiment was very controversial and many
people said it was fake. However, other psychologists repeated it, and got
similar results. Today universities don’t allow making experiments where people
are scared or uncomfortable, but the Milgram experiment shows us that a soldier
uniform or a white scientist lab coat can be enough to make people “just follow
orders.” However, let’s remember that there were also many people in the
experiment who asked to stop. This means that people are not all mindless: We
can decide for ourselves.
This final result was also the result of
another famous and controversial study, the Stanford prison experiment. In this
experiment, Philip Zimbardo created a fake “prison” in the Stanford university
basement and asked volunteers to participate in a simulation of prison. The participants
were divided into “prisoners” and “guards.” They were given realistic uniforms
and everything resembled a real prison very closely. The experiment was
supposed to last two weeks, but had to be ended after six days because the
guards became so aggressive and violent! Even though everyone was just
pretending, eventually the guards became dangerous and hurt the prisoners, and
the prisoners became scared and asked to go home.
The Stanford prison experiment also created a
scandal, but Philip Zimbardo said it showed an important message about
obedience. There can be situations where normal people do bad things, such as
prison or war. So we can decide for ourselves, but we also have to understand
that sometimes it’s very difficult to make the right choice.
However, recently there has been another
scandal. Not because the Stanford prison experiment was cruel and volunteers
got hurt, but because some people say it was fake. Various scientists have
published reports saying that Zimbardo made up the results and lied about what
really happened in the fake prison. Zimbardo has made a reply where he defends
himself (you can read it here https://www.prisonexp.org/response).
Believe him or not, but it’s interesting that psychological experiments that
show us uncomfortable things about ourselves are so controversial and people
try to argue with them. The two experiments together show us that it’s probably
impossible to say who’s always obedient and who’s always independent. There are
many difficult situations and we have to try our best to make the right choice
every time.
1. What
would you do? Do you know how to say “No” when you don’t want something?
2. Do
you think psychologists should make experiments where people get scared or feel
bad? Why? Why not?
Sources:
Philip Zimbardo and Richard Gerrig, “Psychology
and Life” textbook
Youtube,
Milgram Experiment - Big History NL, threshold 6
Comments
Well, maybe, but if only they can control the situation and they are aware of possible negative outcome for subjects that can damage their psychological and emotional well-being. Although, in reality, in order to get most of your experiments you sometimes need to push the boundaries of the human mind beyond its limits. So, I think the answer to this question will depend on perspective and the real motivation behind such experiments.
Such experiments seem like a bad experience for those that participate in them, but they also seem to show the true nature of humans. Maybe they should be conducted, but participants would be warned that they could feel bad during them?
In general, I believe that fear or aggression, as in the “prison” experiment, is part of the experiment. Of course, there is the human factor, people can get scared and have the right to stop the experiment. But I do not think that it is necessary to stop conducting such experiments, because I would like to know what the statistics of "suggestibility" in people.
Yes. I am a person who always think about what I can gain and loose from a situation. And what are its consequences. I am not depended on other people and tend to make my decision based on my thoughts and values.
2. Do you think psychologists should make experiments where people get scared or feel bad? Why? Why not?
They should, to test how people behave. So we can make simulations and plans for hard situations, so we know how to react, what are the dangers.
I think that a psychologists should carry out the experiments, which people arę afraid or feel bad. I think like that cause how people behave in a given situation can be a source of improtant research. After the test, they probably react correctly in life before doing the wrong thing.
As for the ethics of creating experiments where the people involved might end up being scared or feeling bad, I don't think that there is a clear answer. Such things are rarely black and white, and whether the experiment is acceptable or not can depend on a variety of factors, such as whether the people involved in the experiment are warned that it might make them feel uncomfortable before agreeing to participate.
• Yes, I do not have a problem with assertiveness
2. Do you think psychologists should make experiments where people get scared or feel bad? Why? Why not?
• Any kind of an action that could result in heavy traumatization of a subject (not only people) should not take place. The observation of natural flow, indeed, is more time consuming but it does not make people cause harm to other people.
2. Well they decided to ban that kind of experiments so they probably had a good reason to do that.
I have heard about this experiment already. It’s is terrifying 65% seriously. But aside from that I have no idea would I would do. It’s easy to say I wouldn’t do it if you have that kind of knowledge. I try to say no every time I don’t like to do something. Believe me or not but ability to say “no” is very important during everyday life.
I know that designing experiment is hard. But getting people scared is kind of unethical for me. I know it influences the results. I know that people in stress make more mistakes. I know that people in stress make decisions that they later regret. but is is so important to get this data? I think no its not
Lets face it, during war we are not only dealing with clean situation, there are other factors as well such as - fear of enemy, punishment for disobeying the orders (sometimes death). I think I would say no in this situation, but in any real.. rather I wouldn't
2. Do you think psychologists should make experiments where people get scared or feel bad? Why? Why not?
Yes they should. People who were there - were volunteers, they made decision to take part in such situation. It helps us understand human psychology.
I think I'm one of those who can refuse and say "No" if necessary. Of course, it is not always very easy to do this, but I try to argue my refusal and show that it is adequate.
2. Do you think psychologists should make experiments where people get scared or feel bad? Why? Why not?
I think it would not be superfluous. This would be useful in order to have an idea about the models of human behavior. It will of course be individual, but in general it will help psychologists understand the nature of these reactions.
I think yes - I know when to say no. But I'm not sure what I would do in that experiment - I assume that each persion from that experiment who "punished" the others told the same before it.
2. Do you think psychologists should make experiments where people get scared or feel bad? Why? Why not?
Yes - if both sides agree to such terms, and people wouldn't got hurt, I think that it might be a good idea. Experiment with every participant feeling save and comfortable might produce no result. In real life people are often scared or feel bad, and there's not really much we can do to prevent it.
Yes, I think I know how to say "No" to certain things. It used to be hard for me but nowadays I am much better at it. Personally I think it was quite important flaw of mine and I am happy that I became more assertive.
2. Do you think psychologists should make experiments where people get scared or feel bad? Why? Why not?
Well you would have to define "feeling bad". Even is someone agrees to taking part in such experiment they might not fully understand what they are commiting to. Some damage can be really dangerous both physcially and mentally. I guess that results of such experiments are quite useful. Still you should always be careful with them.
Sometimes I'm having trouble with that, mainly because of person, who wants something for me. For example - I could easily say no to someone who I don't know, but it becomes much harder when I have to say no to my close friends, or family. When it happens I'm trying to convince myself to do something, and sometimes it's not what I want.
2. Do you think psychologists should make experiments where people get scared or feel bad? Why? Why not?
I think that it's not the best idea. The fear may stay in mind for a very long time.
Everything depends on people on who experiments will be made. It shouldn’t be risky at all, everything have to be under control. Then, when experiment needs(and only then!) to be made when people are scared or feel bad, and everything else is calculated and controlled, it can be okey.
Usually I know how to say "no" but I don't know how would I react in experiments which you described. It is easy to say that you will know when to stop but you actually dont know if you are allowed to do so in such cases.
2. Do you think psychologists should make experiments where people get scared or feel bad? Why? Why not?
In my opinion because of experiments scientists know more and more about human mind and as far as they do not affect human health those experiments should continue including those where people are scared.
If you will warn participants would it be a reliable experiment?