Stanley Milgram’s experiments on obedience, conducted in the 1960s, are part of a series of psychological studies aimed at examining people’s willingness to obey the orders of an authority figure, even if those orders contradict their moral principles. These experiments represent a classic model for studying the psychological motives of subordination and aggressive behavior under the influence of authority.
The main characteristics of Milgram’s obedience experiments were:
(1) The presence of clear authority—in the form of a researcher posing as an academic or official—made participants feel obligated to obey orders without question.
2) Contrast between individual and collective or formal responsibility – participants tended to place responsibility on the researcher or the system, rather than feeling personally responsible for the harm that might have befallen the recipient, highlighting the impact of dispersed responsibility on behavior.
3) Gradation of punishment or harm – the experiment was designed in such a way that the level of electric shock gradually increased, which made it possible to study how people gradually take harmful actions under the influence of power.
4) Confusion and psychological conflict – Experiments have shown that participants often felt psychological tension, inner conflict, and anxiety due to the discrepancy between their commitment to authority and their moral conscience, embodying the tension between obedience and conscience.
5) Influence of the experimental setting – the results showed that the structured environment and formal structure of the experiment increased the likelihood of submission, demonstrating that the social and organizational context can promote voluntary behavior even when faced with ethical standards.
6) Study of human behavior under social pressure – experiments focused on how social pressure and authority affect decision-making, obedience, and the ability to resist unethical orders.