Based on controlled laboratory experiments, Milgram investigated how far people would go in inflicting perceived harm on others when instructed by an experimenter in a position of authority. Participants believed they were administering increasingly intense electric shocks to a learner for incorrect answers, and a significant majority continued administering shocks up to dangerous levels under experimenter prods. Milgram’s findings highlight the strength of situational variables and the social power of authority in shaping conduct, challenging the idea that only inherently “evil” individuals commit harmful acts. The book explores variations of the basic procedure and discusses implications for understanding historical phenomena like war crimes, institutional compliance, obedience to authoritarians, and everyday conformity.
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