Stanley Milgram
Stanley Milgram
Stanley Milgram was a social psychologist famous for his obedience experiments, which showed that ordinary people can harm others simply by following the instructions of an authority figure. He is also known for the concept of 'Six Degrees of Separation.'
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Stanley Milgram (1933–1984)
Stanley Milgram was an American social psychologist who became world-renowned for his Obedience Experiment. His research raised profound questions about human nature.
In 1961, at Yale University, Milgram's experiment asked participants to administer electric shocks to another person under the instruction of an experimenter (an authority figure). Remarkably, approximately 65% of participants delivered shocks up to the maximum level (450V). While no actual shocks were delivered, the participants genuinely believed they were real.
The experiment demonstrated that ordinary people are capable of unethical behavior when placed in an authoritative situation. Milgram used these findings to suggest that the Holocaust in Nazi Germany was not solely the work of a few psychopaths, but was made possible by the actions of ordinary people obeying authority.
He is also associated with the Six Degrees of Separation theory — the idea that every person in the world is connected to every other person through a chain of no more than six acquaintances.
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*Mindy here: Milgram's work can feel unsettling, but understanding how authority influences our behavior is actually an important step in learning to think critically and act according to your own values.*
💡 Real-Life Example
Ordinary people can become instruments of cruel actions simply because they believe they are carrying out their assigned duties.
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