milgram research evil

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The Psychology of The Psychology of Evil Evil How far will people go in How far will people go in the name of obedience? the name of obedience?

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Page 1: Milgram research evil

The Psychology of EvilThe Psychology of Evil

How far will people go in the How far will people go in the name of obedience?name of obedience?

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Are Germans different?Are Germans different? In the beginning, Stanley In the beginning, Stanley

Milgram was worried Milgram was worried about the Nazi problem.about the Nazi problem.

He doesn’t worry about He doesn’t worry about that anymore, he worried that anymore, he worried about you and me.about you and me.

Stanley Milgram was a Stanley Milgram was a social psychologist at social psychologist at Yale University in 1960. Yale University in 1960.

His research aim was to His research aim was to provide evidence for the provide evidence for the “Germans are different” “Germans are different” hypothesishypothesis

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““Germans are different” Germans are different” hypothesishypothesis

The hypothesis has been The hypothesis has been used by historians to used by historians to explain the systematic explain the systematic destruction of the Jews destruction of the Jews by the Third Reich.by the Third Reich.

Milgram set out to test Milgram set out to test whether Germans have a whether Germans have a basic character flaw basic character flaw which is a readiness to which is a readiness to obey authority without obey authority without question, no matter what question, no matter what outrageous acts the outrageous acts the authority commands.authority commands.

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Milgram’s research into Milgram’s research into obedienceobedience

Milgram developed a laboratory experiment which Milgram developed a laboratory experiment which provided a systematic way to measure obedience.provided a systematic way to measure obedience.

His decision to study obedience was tempered by his His decision to study obedience was tempered by his own Jewish cultural background.own Jewish cultural background.

His plan was to test the hypothesis on the population of His plan was to test the hypothesis on the population of New Haven on Americans and then go to Germany and New Haven on Americans and then go to Germany and test the German population.test the German population.

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Milgram’s experimental Milgram’s experimental designdesign

Milgram recruited participants using a newspaper Milgram recruited participants using a newspaper advert (see copy in your pack).advert (see copy in your pack).

The participants arrived at The Yale Interaction The participants arrived at The Yale Interaction Laboratory and were met by the experimenter, Jack Laboratory and were met by the experimenter, Jack Williams, a man dressed in a laboratory coat.Williams, a man dressed in a laboratory coat.

The participants meet another man, a man in his 50s.The participants meet another man, a man in his 50s. The experimenter explains the experiment to both of The experimenter explains the experiment to both of

them:them: ““It is about learning. Science does not know much It is about learning. Science does not know much

about negative reinforcement on learning. Negative about negative reinforcement on learning. Negative reinforcement is getting punished when you get reinforcement is getting punished when you get something wrong. In this case, it will be an electric something wrong. In this case, it will be an electric shock.”shock.”

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Milgram’s experimental Milgram’s experimental designdesign

The experimenter takes two pieces of paper and The experimenter takes two pieces of paper and places them in a hat. One piece of paper is places them in a hat. One piece of paper is supposed to say “Teacher”, the other “Learner”.supposed to say “Teacher”, the other “Learner”.

Pick one – and you find out which you will be.Pick one – and you find out which you will be. You look at yours, it says “Teacher”.You look at yours, it says “Teacher”. The experimenter beckons the “Learner”.The experimenter beckons the “Learner”. ““Want to step right in here and take a seat, Want to step right in here and take a seat,

please? You can leave your coat on the back of please? You can leave your coat on the back of that chair…. Roll up your right sleeve, please. that chair…. Roll up your right sleeve, please. Now what I want you to do is strap down your Now what I want you to do is strap down your arms to avoid excessive movement on your part arms to avoid excessive movement on your part during the experiment. This electrode is during the experiment. This electrode is connected to the shock generator in the next connected to the shock generator in the next room.”room.”

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Milgram’s experimental set-Milgram’s experimental set-upup

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The Shock Generator The Shock Generator (from 15volts to 450volts)(from 15volts to 450volts)

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Would Milgram’s Would Milgram’s participants obey?participants obey?

Do you think the American Do you think the American participants would obey the participants would obey the experimenter and deliver electric experimenter and deliver electric shocks to another human being?shocks to another human being?

What % of participants do you think What % of participants do you think would deliver the full (and fatal) would deliver the full (and fatal) 450volt shock?450volt shock?

Write your percentage estimate and Write your percentage estimate and compare with a neighbour.compare with a neighbour.

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Milgram’s Obedience Milgram’s Obedience researchresearch

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Milgram’s result Milgram’s result

65% of Milgram’s participants delivered 65% of Milgram’s participants delivered the full (and fatal) 450volt shock.the full (and fatal) 450volt shock.

Even though the learner gave out an Even though the learner gave out an agonised scream at 285 volts, a refusal to agonised scream at 285 volts, a refusal to answer at 315 volts and only ominous answer at 315 volts and only ominous silence after that.silence after that.

So why did the participants obey? Most So why did the participants obey? Most participants groaned, protested, fidgeted, participants groaned, protested, fidgeted, argued and in some cases, were seized argued and in some cases, were seized by fits of nervous, agitated giggling.by fits of nervous, agitated giggling.

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An explanation for An explanation for obedience?obedience?

Milgram suggested:Milgram suggested: ““They are somehow They are somehow

engaged in something engaged in something from which they from which they cannot liberate cannot liberate themselves. They are themselves. They are locked into a locked into a structure, and they do structure, and they do not have the skills or not have the skills or inner resources to inner resources to disengage disengage themselves.”themselves.”

The Goebbels family – Frau Goebbels poisoned all six of her children in the final days of the war. Josef Goebbels shot his wife dead and then shot himself.

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Killing in the name of….Killing in the name of….Gas ovens at Auschwitz-Birkenau

Rwandan genocide

Vietcong dead

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WHY?WHY?

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Were the Germans Were the Germans different?different?

The answer is “No”.The answer is “No”. Milgram’s Milgram’s

experimental results experimental results in 1963 provide in 1963 provide evidence that evidence that atrocities can atrocities can happen ANYWHERE.happen ANYWHERE.

He argued that there He argued that there are two reasons why are two reasons why people obey. people obey.

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Theory of conformismTheory of conformism The theory of conformism is The theory of conformism is

based on Solomon Asch's based on Solomon Asch's work, describing the work, describing the fundamental relationship fundamental relationship between the group of between the group of reference and the individual reference and the individual personperson

"A subject who has neither "A subject who has neither ability nor expertise to make ability nor expertise to make decisions, especially in a decisions, especially in a crisis, will leave decision crisis, will leave decision making to the group and its making to the group and its hierarchy. The group is the hierarchy. The group is the person's behavioural model."person's behavioural model."

So, the SS troops followed So, the SS troops followed the orders of the officers. the orders of the officers. Reichsfuhrer of the SS:Reichsfuhrer of the SS:

Heinrich Himmler.Heinrich Himmler.

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Agentic State theoryAgentic State theory Agentic state theory, Agentic state theory,

according to Milgram, according to Milgram,

““The essence of The essence of obedience consists in the obedience consists in the fact that a person comes fact that a person comes to view himself as the to view himself as the instrument for carrying instrument for carrying out another person's out another person's wishes, and he therefore wishes, and he therefore no longer sees himself as no longer sees himself as responsible for his actions. responsible for his actions. Once this critical shift of Once this critical shift of viewpoint has occurred in viewpoint has occurred in the person, all of the the person, all of the essential features of essential features of obedience follow."obedience follow."

Holocaust Memorial

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““The social psychology of this century The social psychology of this century reveals a major lesson: often it is not so reveals a major lesson: often it is not so much the kind of person a man is as the much the kind of person a man is as the kind of situation in which he finds himself kind of situation in which he finds himself that determines how he will act." (1974)that determines how he will act." (1974)

““Some people are psychologically incapable Some people are psychologically incapable of disengaging themselves. But that of disengaging themselves. But that

doesn’t relieve them of the moral doesn’t relieve them of the moral responsibility.” (1970)responsibility.” (1970)

Milgram’s reflections

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What can we learn?What can we learn?