NationStates Jolt Archive

http://www.holah.karoo.net/milgramstudy.htm
http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2007_01/milgram.html

These links describe the Milgram experiment, which showed people were very willing to listen to people and do horrible things just because a man in a white lab coat told them they had to (only verbal commands were given, no torture or incentives). I suggest you read the links in full, they explain it in greater detail.

What do you think of the results? Are they valid, do people really listen to authority just because it is authority so willingly?

I think it depends on the person, how much a sense of outrage the person has compared to their sense of duty.

Maybe in some peoples mind the fear that a refusal to proceed could result in the roles being reversed.

I'd like to say that I wouldn't go far in this experiment. I lie, but thats purely cos I know its faked lol

I wouldn't know how I would react, no one does until they go through the experience themselves. I have to say I'd have liked to have been part of the origional experiment.

Psychology lost so much of its spirit with all the ethics in place. I can understand most of them sure, but not being allowed to decieve the participant places a heavy risk of experimentor effect in play.

On a side note I like that you have used the website of one of my old psch teachers lol