Objective: To measure the obedience of ordinary people to authority.

Method: The subject is told that he is to participate in an experiment from which scientists can determine the capacity of any human being to memorize and reproduce information. He is given the control of an electric panel so that every time the “victim” delivers a wrong answer, the „teacher” can administer electric shocks. These increase gradually from 50 to 450 Volts. However, the shocks and the screams of the victim are simulated.              

There are four different scenarios: Remote- The victim cannot be seen or heard; Voice-Feedback- The victim can be heard; Proximity- The victim and the “teacher” are in the same room; Touch-Proximity- The victim’s hand has to be forced upon a metal plate to be able to administer the electric shocks.

Outcome (Numer of people who refused to reach the 450 V limit)

Remote: 35 %

Voice-Feedback: 37,5%

Proximity: 60%

Touch-Proximity: 70%

“Professor of Old Testament at a major divinity school [...] After administering 150 Volts he balks at going further. The experimenter states that the learner’s protests are to be disregarded, and the experiment must continue:

Experimenter: It’s absolutely essential to the experiment that we continue.

Subject: I understand the statement, but I don’t understand why the experiment is placed above a person’s life.

Experimenter: There is no permanent tissue damage.

Subject: Well, that’s your opinion. If he doesn’t want to continue, I’m taking orders from him.

Experimenter: You have no other choice, sir, you must go on.

Subject: If this were Russia maybe, but not in America.”

(The experiment was terminated)

Stanley Milgram, Obedience to Authority. An Experimental View. New York Euston San Francisco London, Harper & Row, Publishers, 1974.