Obedience to Authority “The Final Solution”

The Holocaust “The Nazi extermination of European Jews is the most extreme instance of abhorrent immoral acts carried out by thousands of people in the name of obedience” “The Nazi extermination of European Jews is the most extreme instance of abhorrent immoral acts carried out by thousands of people in the name of obedience” Milgram 1974 Milgram 1974

Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Himmler review SS troops during Reich Party Day ceremonies

Hitler Suspends Civil Rights.

Goebbels Urges Boycott.

Street Scene sm. sm.

The “Final Solution” Millions of People are Killed. Millions of People are Killed. Was such brutality simply a product of evil and sadistic minds or was this extraordinary behaviour performed by ordinary people? Was such brutality simply a product of evil and sadistic minds or was this extraordinary behaviour performed by ordinary people?

Evil or “Just following orders”

Jews collaborating with Nazis

Nazis brought to justice

War Trials.

The Banality of Evil

Terrifyingly “normal” “It would have been comforting indeed to believe that Eichmann was a monster….The trouble with Eichmann was precisely that so many were like him, and that the many were neither perverted or sadistic, that they were, and still are, terribly and terrifyingly normal.” Arendt, “It would have been comforting indeed to believe that Eichmann was a monster….The trouble with Eichmann was precisely that so many were like him, and that the many were neither perverted or sadistic, that they were, and still are, terribly and terrifyingly normal.” Arendt, 1963.

Psychological study of obedience One of the disturbing implications of the holocaust was that “in certain circumstances the most ordinary decent person can become a criminal” (Arendt, 1963) One of the disturbing implications of the holocaust was that “in certain circumstances the most ordinary decent person can become a criminal” (Arendt, 1963) There is a need to understand the situational conditions under which people would suspend their own moral judgements in order to carry out an order from a malevolent authority figure. There is a need to understand the situational conditions under which people would suspend their own moral judgements in order to carry out an order from a malevolent authority figure.

Obedience to authority (Milgram, 1963) Many of the Nazi war criminals claimed that they did what they did because they were following orders. Many of the Nazi war criminals claimed that they did what they did because they were following orders. Milgram’s 1963 experiment gives a platform to study viability of such an explanation Milgram’s 1963 experiment gives a platform to study viability of such an explanation

Obedience in the face of cruelty Why do people obey when the action required is inhumane? Why do people obey when the action required is inhumane? Will ordinary people obey a legitimate authority even when required to injure another person? (obedience to unjust authority) Will ordinary people obey a legitimate authority even when required to injure another person? (obedience to unjust authority)

Milgram’s (1963) studies: obedience to authority People were ostensibly randomly assigned the role of “teacher” in a “learning experiment.” The experimenter asked them to administer negative reinforcements in the form of electric shocks to a “learner” (a confederate of experimenter, and a nice man) who goes to an adjacent room. The level of the shocks was increased at each mistake with 15 volts, from 15 (marked on the machine as “slight shock”) to 450 volts (marked on the machine as “danger: severe shock”). As the shocks get worse, the learner protests more and more, then refuses to answer. The experimenter orders the learner to continue administering shocks: “you have no other choice, you must continue”.

How far will people go?

Willing participants? I observed a mature and initially poised businessman enter the laboratory smiling and confident. Within 20 minutes he was reduced to a twitching, shuddering wreck, who was rapidly approaching nervous collapse. He constantly pulled on his ear lobe, and twisted his hands. At one point he pushed his fist into his forehead and muttered ‘Oh God, lets stop it’. And yet he continued to respond to every word of the experimenter, and obeyed to the end. Milgram

Variations to the Procedure: Milgram (1974) Immediacy of the victim: Immediacy of the victim: If the victim could only be heard, 65% of teachers went to the limit. If they had visual contact, that number declined. However, even when the teacher had to keep the learner’s hand on a “shock plate” himself, 30% continued to administer shocks up to 450V If the victim could only be heard, 65% of teachers went to the limit. If they had visual contact, that number declined. However, even when the teacher had to keep the learner’s hand on a “shock plate” himself, 30% continued to administer shocks up to 450V Immediacy/ proximity of authority figure: Immediacy/ proximity of authority figure: When the experimenter delivered instructions by phone, only 20.5% continued to obey. When the experimenter delivered instructions by phone, only 20.5% continued to obey. Legitimacy of authority: Legitimacy of authority: When the experiment was conducted in a run down office building obedience dropped to 48%. When the experiment was conducted in a run down office building obedience dropped to 48%. Social influences: Social influences: If a second teacher was present who complied, obedience soared to 92% full compliance. If the other refused, only 10% of participants went up to 450V. If a second teacher was present who complied, obedience soared to 92% full compliance. If the other refused, only 10% of participants went up to 450V.

Reflecting on Milgram’s contribution Milgram’s experiments are powerful because they were very simple, very real, and very disturbing. Milgram’s experiments are powerful because they were very simple, very real, and very disturbing. This research is very typical for 1970s research in its emphasis on the darker side of human nature: This research is very typical for 1970s research in its emphasis on the darker side of human nature: It paints a very bleak picture of what people are like. It paints a very bleak picture of what people are like. Social influence is equated with something that is negative + extreme. Social influence is equated with something that is negative + extreme. Individualism is celebrated. Individualism is celebrated. Milgram’s experiments also contributed to the end of high impact social psychological research because of the ethical issues they raised. Milgram’s experiments also contributed to the end of high impact social psychological research because of the ethical issues they raised.