Milgram experiment

The Milgram experiment is the name for a number of controversial experiments in psychology. They were done by Stanley Milgram in the 1960s. Milgram wanted to find out how easy it was to get someone to follow orders, even if the orders went against their conscience. In his experiment, a test subject was ordered by a scientist to inflict electric shocks on another person, though the shocks were faked.

To his surprise, most subjects did as they were told until the very end of the experiment, though many found it difficult. There have been many repetitions and variations of the experiment, with similar results.^[1][2]

1. ↑ Milgram, Stanley 1963. Behavioral study of obedience. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 67 (4): 371–8. [1]
2. ↑ Milgram, Stanley 1974. Obedience to authority: an experimental view. Harpercollins. ISBN 0-06-131983-X