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ABC Re-Conducts The Milgram Experiment »
Posted by: Ousama 1 year, 8 months agoABC will conduct a version of Stanley Milgram's experiment on obedience to authority, says Jossip. On January 3, 20/20 will air a special in which Chris Cuomo and social psychology professor Jerry Burger (who studies compliance and personal control) re-enact a "tamer" version of the Milgram experiment, in which participants were goaded in
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Comments: 4
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Beau7890
Dec. 24, 2006, 11:18 p.m.I'm confused. Why are they re-conducting the Milgram experiment? The article doesn't say.
Is it to prove that human nature is still so unquestioning of authority as to perform cruel acts upon others because they're told to? (I wouldn't think an experiment would be necessary for that.)
Milgram's experiment, as well as Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment (1971), which showed that otherwise good people would behave cruelly toward others when given the power and freedom to do so -- http://www.prisonexp.org -- are already both re-enacted in real life every day, by people all over the world.
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bill-smith
Dec. 25, 2006, 12:39 a.m.Yes, indeed, what is the point of reconducting this experiment even in part? Is there new and valuable information to be gained from showing that people are basically sheep that will do what they are told, even if it causes harm to another? Somehow I think this has nothing to do with research and more to do with publicity. This is just another way for the "infotainment" industry to draw attention to itself without actually doing anything substantial or informative.
Way to go 20/20!
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geographer47
Dec. 25, 2006, 9:23 a.m.What's wrong with ABC? I joined Netscape.com to protest their inflamatory program, The Path to 9-11. They don't need to repeat this experiment to show that people will perform cruel acts on others given the opportunity; there is plenty of historical and contemporary evidence.
Much as I love all my buddies on Netscape; there's much more Internet out there. Bring things in for your friends to enjoy and take action on websites, such as ABC.com, members of Congress, etc., to let them know when you do not approve of or agree with their plans/actions.
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Beau7890
Dec. 25, 2006, 10:16 a.m.I'm guessing that in addition to their first priority, luring viewers with sensationalistic stories, someone at 20/20 came up with the rationale that re-enacting Milgram has value in what it implies about how our soldiers act during wartime, and also how many of us feel about "the enemy," however we may define them.
While I can see the usefulness of giving the TV-watching public a refresher course in questioning authority, I think this is an unnecessary, sensationalistic stunt. Why not just directly do a story about how Milgram might apply to the above-mentioned people?
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