The Milgram Experiment

The Milgram experiment, also called the obedience experiment, is a psychology experiment that Yale professor Stanly Milgram designed and conducted in 1961, the experiment is to make people think that they are delivering electric shocks to an unknown stranger that they meet and strapped into a chair in another room.

Both who agree to be the subjects of this experiment are told that it is about memory, one person becomes the teacher, and another person who is strapped becomes the student. When the test begins, the student must memorize the words that the teacher has to read, if the student fails to repeat the words, the teacher has to trigger an electric shock to the student, and the experiment ends only when the student learns all the words.

The idea of this experiment is really about conscience and conformity. The teachers are convinced that the shocks are real and the learners are the strangers that they meet. However, the truth is the opposite, the shocks are fake and unlethal, and the learner is only an actor who simulates the sound of pain when shocked by the electricity. The more mistakes the learner makes; the higher volts the teacher has to deliver. Most teachers would ask to stop the experiment, but the conductors would simply reply with the message of continuing the experiment.

Now with all the evidence gathered, people might think the experiment is unethical and crucial to many, but with the fake shocks and fake screams, despite the “teacher” subject being tortured mentally, and by telling to truth to the “teacher” after the test is over, this experiment is only ethical, because no one would end up being hurt, and the result that Milgram needs could be an invaluable achievement for the fields of psychology study.

As for the results of this experiment, 65%, which is more than two-thirds of the participants would continue to the highest level of Four hundred and fifty volts of electricity, even though they always ask for the experiment to be terminated, but somehow, when the conductor says the experiment must be continued, they keep on going, which only proves that the ordinary people are most likely to obey commands from an authority figure, even to the extent of potentially killing a person which electric shocks. Four hundred and fifty volts would create a tremendous amount of amperage that can kill a person for numerable times.

People tend to obey orders from other people if they know that the person with authority is morally correct, or legal, even though what might occur next is highly unethical. This response to legitimate authority is learned in a variety of situations, such as school, workplace, etc. Therefore, the findings and the conclusion of this experiment is extremely valuable, because the discovery is shocking, it is relevant because it is involved in everyday life.

During Milgram’s lifetime, he spoke of a quote that was highly memorable, which was that “we are puppets controlled by the strings of society, but at least we are puppets with perception, with awareness. And perhaps our awareness is the first step to our liberation”. Now think about it, the history of human evolution emphasizes many, many changing points. But when the biased perception of reality limited its potential of growth, when the challenge comes, many choose to cling to the fears and to avoid the change that is about to occur, whether it is harmful, or positive. Many are aware when the change is near, instead of embrace or defy, they choose to neglect, or follow blindly, knowing the consequences of their action. Just like the teachers in the Milgram’s experiment, they are fully aware of the potential harm that would do to the learner, and the consequence of their action would only result in learner’s death, they know it, they plead to the authority figure to terminate the test, they see the strings completely, yet instead of opposing to or defying the authority, they keep on going, knowing how it is going to end up. Horrifying, yet thought-provoking.

At his time, Milgram was obsessed with Nazi’s behaviors, and how easily normal citizens could be influenced into committing unspeakable atrocities in WWII. He studied justifications for the acts of genocide suggested by those who accused at the World War 2, Nuremberg War Criminal trails. The defense that was presented was always based on the word “Obedience”, which means that they were simply following the orders from their superiors. But there was no proof that the Milgram’s judgment was clouded by the study of the Nazi’s and their negative influences on the ordinary people, his ideas might be unethical or extreme on the outside, but his intention was simply to find out why, why do people follow orders.

In conclusion, the Milgram’s experiment is extreme but ethical. The findings are shocking, horrific, but relevant and important. One’s nature is not to stop, even if a normal human who has acquired the emotion of compassion and care, they always end up on following into the dark.