Memorable

One the concepts I will remember most was demonstrated in the Milgram Experiment. The concept that was explored was obedience to authority. Stanley Milgram's parents were Jewish and he grew up during World War II. As a result, he was keenly interested in how the Holocaust happened. He was very dubious of the simple explanation that it was simply a large group of evil people. Milgram began to conceive of the idea that it was blind obedience to authority. To test this hypothesis, he developed a paradigm that involved an experimenter and a learner, both of whom were confederates of Milgram. The third person was the teacher, who was unaware of the experiment. Under the direct guidance of the experimenter (who represented authority), the teacher asked the learner to perform a paired-associate task, and for each incorrect answer, the teacher was to deliver a shock. Forty psychiatrists were asked to predict the outcome. They believed that there would be a .1% compliance rate for shocks up to 450 volts. Unbelievably, 62% of participants complied, even after begging and pleading with the experimenter to stop! The participants felt bound to the experimenter because he was in a position of authority. Milgram found no evidence that participants that complied with authority were more sadistic than those who did not. Milgram's experiment illustrates the power differential that occurs when a person is entrusted with authority. To me, this is important to be aware of because we all will be on both ends of authority, for example in an employment setting or as parents. Someone will have authority over us, or we will have authority over others. It is important to remember this and act accordingly. When someone has authority over you, remember to maintain your morals and ask questions if something does not feel right. When you have authority over someone, don't abuse it.