Authority

In 1961, Yale psychologist Stanley Milgram placed an ad in a New Haven newspaper: “We will pay you $4.00 for one hour of your time.” Participants arrived at Yale’s psychology lab, believing they were taking part in a study about memory and learning. They were told they would be the “teacher.” Another participant (actually an actor) would be the “learner.” The teacher’s job: deliver electric shocks to the learner every time they answered a question incorrectly. ...

In August 1971, Stanford psychologist Philip Zimbardo posted an ad in the newspaper: “Male college students needed for psychological study of prison life. $15 per day for 1-2 weeks.” Twenty-four mentally healthy, middle-class college students responded. They were screened, tested, and deemed normal, stable individuals. Zimbardo randomly assigned them to two groups: guards and prisoners. The experiment was supposed to last two weeks. It lasted six days. What Happened Zimbardo converted the basement of Stanford’s psychology building into a mock prison. The “guards” received uniforms, wooden batons, and mirrored sunglasses to prevent eye contact. The “prisoners” were given smocks, assigned numbers, and had their heads covered with nylon stockings. ...