The Miglram Experiment

[Dave Spart]

I thought fellow posters may be interested to read this Wikipedia article.

It may go some way to explain why so criminal activity has taken place in the investment arena - such as liar loans and the likes of Bernard Madhoff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment#cite_note-11

[milk_snatcher]

I suppose it indicates the willingness to avoid taking responsibility for actions which could cause harm to another individual. I suppose it just demonstrates how close we are to our ancestors who hunted for food rather than shop at the supermarkt. It brings the roots of civilisation into question more than anything, ethics and motivations are very interesting.

[happy_renting]

The main conlusion of the Milgram experiment is that many (perhaps most) people will suspend their ethical judgement if urged to do so by an authority figure.

IIRC Drren Brown perfomed the experiment (not under controlled conditions) again on TV recently; the result was essentially the same. People will do what they are told. Electrocute people, buy overpriced houses, etc.

Now go and vote Trash Gordon out of office. That's an order.

[milk_snatcher]

The main conlusion of the Milgram experiment is that many (perhaps most) people will suspend their ethical judgement if urged to do so by an authority figure.

IIRC Drren Brown perfomed the experiment (not under controlled conditions) again on TV recently; the result was essentially the same. People will do what they are told. Electrocute people, buy overpriced houses, etc.

Now go and vote Trash Gordon out of office. That's an order.

its a bit late for voting. But it all shows that we are not the intelligent free thinking individuals we see ourselves as potentially being, but we are animals.

[1929crash]

I thought fellow posters may be interested to read this Wikipedia article.

It may go some way to explain why so criminal activity has taken place in the investment arena - such as liar loans and the likes of Bernard Madhoff.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment#cite_note-11

Take a look at this scary video - about the Stanford Prison Experiment.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=69...ison+experiment

[Guest AuntJess]

If you read a little deeper you will find that 'obedience to authority' and 'conformity' are tendencies which differ from culture to culture, nation to nation, family to family and even person to person. As with all psychological experiments the results depend on certain variables being manipulated.

It is true tho' that those experimemts - long since banned - indicate some scary possible traits in human behaviour. Hitler and his regime told us that much, Milgram and Zimbardo merely confirmed it.

[RichB]

Saw a bloke on telly the other day who grew up in hitlers germany quoted as saying something along the lines of the british beaurocrats would make the nazis look like teddy bears if they were put in the same position.

[Cogs]

I always found the Solomon Asch (Milgram's superviser IIRC) line-length experiments (although less dramatic) more meaningful.

Particularly in terms of herd behaviour, why didn't they see it coming etc.

Milgram is about obedience to authority, its a slightly different thing.

Edited September 8, 2009 by Cogs

[indirectapproach]

On some interpersonal communications courses it is suggested that the best response to "good morning" is "good morning", to "how do you do" is "how do you do".

Some are of the view this technique begins to create a solidarity bond.

It is the same with posture echo.

"When people copy each others posture, it is called postural echo or mirroring. e.g. in a pub, friends will often pick up their drinks at the same time. It occurs subconsciously when people have similar views, the same status, or like each other. Strangers often studiously avoid mirroring each others postures.

In research on this an actor played an interviewee and mimicked the posture of the interviewer. Interviewers showed no awareness of this mimicry but rated the interviewer more favourably considering that he thought more like they did and identified with them. However, beware of consciously mirroring interviewers to try to make them like you - most personnel managers will probably know far more about this than you do!"

http://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/interviews/nvc.htm

[Guest AuntJess]

I always found the Solomon Asch (Milgram's superviser IIRC) line-length experiments (although less dramatic) more meaningful.

Particularly in terms of herd behaviour, why didn't they see it coming etc.

Milgram is about obedience to authority, its a slightly different thing.

I actually worked with a PhD. in Soc. Psy. who could NOT tell me the difference twixt obedience and conformity, thus reinforcing what I have long since suspected: that not all 'scholars' are thorough about the basics.

As to the above studies: We might take more heart, if we cast an eye over Moscovici's works, and attempt to apply his findings.

[D.C.]

If you are interested in this sort of thing...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Obedience-Authority-Experimental-Stanley-Milgram/dp/0953096475/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256119326&sr=8-1-catcorr

Excellent book but quite dry and hard work.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lucifer-Effect-Good-People-Turn/dp/1846041031/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b

Easier to read with a good explanation of Abughraib

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brainwashing-Science-Thought-Kathleen-Taylor/dp/0199204780/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_c

Easy to read, more history and real life examples than theory

Amazon does all three of those together for less then £20

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mind-Its-Own-Distorts-Deceives/dp/1840467983/ref=pd_sim_b_4

Really good book, written in funny style, you don't know whether to laugh or cry reading it. A brief skim over lots of recent research in the field

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irrationality-Stuart-Sutherland/dp/1905177070/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1256119733&sr=1-1

Another excellent book on just how nuts we are.

After you read the last two you realise just how completely batshit crazy you are and every other human on the planet is. Any body thinking that people are remotely rational really, really need to read these two.

You can buy all 5 of these books for a grand total of £33 and they will change the way you think forever.

Edited October 21, 2009 by D.C.