The Obedience Studies

The Obedience Studies, notably led by psychologist Stanley Milgram in the 1960s, investigated how ordinary people comply with authority figures' commands, even when those commands conflict with personal morality. Participants believed they were administering electric shocks to others, but in reality, no shocks occurred. The studies found that many individuals were willing to follow orders to potentially harmful extents, highlighting the powerful influence of authority on behavior and raising important ethical and psychological questions about obedience, authority, and moral judgment.