Dr. Stanley Milgram defined obedience as “the psychological mechanism that links individual action to political purpose.” What do you think encourages obedience? Is it fear of punishment; a desire to please; or is it a need to go along with the group? As some students watched the film Obedience, they laughed at the people receiving the shocks. How do you account for that laughter? Is it because something was funny or was there another reason? Those who study human behavior say that laughter can be a way of relieving tension, showing embarrassment or expressing relief that someone else is “on the spot.” Which explanation is most appropriate in this case? How did some of the volunteers act as they administered the shocks? What pressures were placed on them as the experiment continued? How and when did they decide to stop? Did you identify with any of the volunteers you observed in Obedience? What did you learn that you didn't know before you watched this film?
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During this film I decided that I think people went along with what they were told to do because they feared what might happen if they don't. The experimenter kept encouraging to "please go on, you must not stop" and I think hearing that "you must continue, it is needed for you to continue" made people fear what happens if they don't continue. I like to say I would have stopped, and I don't think I would go along with the experiment from the start but I don't know for sure. I also think that when people discovered that they were not responsible for any harm done in the experiment they found it much easier to continue. When people are told they are not responsible, it is easy to assign blame to others and not feel guilty.
Obedience is encouraged by a fear of self deprivation. If there is any possibility whatsoever of harm either mental or physical coming to the person, they will obey what they think will protect them. In this case, the people partaking in the experiment believed that they would not be held accountable, so it would be alright. This was the protection offered with obedience. People laugh when they are nervous. It isn't that they think it is funny or don't understand the situation. These people only stopped when they felt that the accountability would fall on them instead of the doctor. I felt empathetic to the man who was crying. To me, he looked very helpless. But I also believe it was his choice not to stop. After watching this film I gained a deeper knowledge of the role of obedience in society and ourselves.
After watching this experiment I gained new knowledge and perspective on what the average nazi citizen was. I think that the people in Germany weren't evil, I think that the people that were in charge in Germany were evil. The average people in Germany should have stood up for what they believed in but just because they were fed lies by media that they trusted doesn't make them bad people. They were desensitized and believed much propaganda that the government threw at them. Average people can be told what to do because they think that the people in charge are smarter than them. Therefore, they do what they say because they think the people in charge know what wrong from right better than themselves. However, I also learned that I should really find out what I believe in so that I can't have my opinions changed by other people's skeptical statistics and apparently reliable news. Therefore, I wouldn't be able to have my mind changed as easily as many nazi germany citizens had their's changed.
There is so much to learn from this film pertaining to the psychology of human beings. Humans tend to laugh when feeling nervous, which is ironic because laughter is usually associated with joy and emotional content. But in this case, there is no emotional stability because the experiment clearly puts the instructor volunteering in a tough place. Responsibility is also a key factor in the experiment regardless if they actually committed it or not. They had no idea who they were harming, but since someone of power was telling them to do so, they could be easily persuaded. It is obviously similar to the Nazis and punishing the Jews for being "wrong" or indifferent, similar to the experiment in which the patient would be shocked no matter what.
What I realized from watching this film is that people are sheep like Mr. Gallagher said and that they will do almost anything that they are told. It also showed me that people laugh when nervous sometimes. Which really is ironic because laughter is usually associated with happiness. Apart from those it showed me that Nazi weren't evil but those in power were. They just wanted to survive. This film really showed me the lesson that we should stand up for what we believe in and not give in, even if it has fatal consequences.
The reactions by the people were kind of surprising to me in that some of them contiinued to follow orders even after they felt very uncomfortable about what they were doing to the "learner". Seeing that man begin to cry as he kept following the orders of the instructor was interesting because he showed that he was very bothered by what he was doing but continued to shock the man multiple times. This film really showed what affect a person of some authority has over people, and it taught me to stand up for what i think is right and wrong.
The milgram experiment was very interesting to watch. It showed that people are willing to follower orders no matter what from a person in power. This relates to the citizens of Nazi Germany, who were very obedient to the Nazi leaders. It surprised me that people still continued to shock the person when they became unresponsive, and also when the machine shocks were labeled "xxx". This proves how people will follow orders no matter what from those in power.
Throughout the film, I saw that people were standing up for what the thought was right and they stopped the experience because what they were doing they saw it as non human moral like. Later on I began to see how easily someone could be manipulated into doing something that they believe was injustice. This film portrayed how someone being told that they are not responsible for actions would do them any ways because they are not taking the responsibility of doing something that can ultimately hurt them. I began to see how someone like Hitler could manipulate someone to do something in order to achieve the perfect race he could have very easily tell them that they are not taking the responsibility for it.
People obey commands to either please those in power, or to escape any consequences that would result from refusing an order. In the case of this documentary, the students followed the commands because they were scared that they would mess up the experiment and receive punishments. Many of the students began to laugh while administering shocks because they felt very uncomfortable, and had no other way to release the tension. Not because they found they pain they inflicted to be funny. Multiple students continued shocking the other man, until he complained about the pain and wanted to get out of the electric chair. This shows that they would only stop once they felt they could be responsible for a mans injury or death. I learned that many people stand up when they believe something is wrong, however, some people are cowards and will follow commands no matter what.
After watching this experiment I believe that I have gained a better idea of how Hitler, and the Nazis, were able to force people into doing things they knew were both wrong and unfair. I believe that the fear of punishment is what made the Nazis thrive. The Nazis used public discrimination and violence to ensure that people did what they were told, and if not they would try to make an example of the person. I believe that the same logic can be applied in the experiment. One man continually asked whether the man in a lab coat would take all responsibility for whatever happened. Once he knew he was not accountable, he continued knowing that whatever happened he would not come under scrutiny and feel guilty for anything that happened to the person being shocked. I believe that this shows as long as a person will be alright, he will fully obey an authority figure.
This experiment shows how easily people can be persuaded by people with authority. I can see how so many Germans were persuaded by the propaganda tactics that nazi Germany used. I think if I were in some of the teachers position I would have stopped the experiment. I would not continue the experiment knowing someone is being hurt. It is easy to say that but if I was asked to shock someone by the president then I most likely would have. I was shocked at how many people went all the way to 450 volts.
By watching this film, I discovered that humans are naturally inclined to do three things: 1.)Act obedient toward people in authority 2.)Flee from dangerous or uncomfortable situations (escape fear).3.) Follow the crowd. In reality, MOST people act this way on a regular basis, making them "sheep". If you take a moment to study people who were successful at making a difference in the world, you will discover that none of these people followed the crowd. They were individuals who spoke (and acted) on behalf of their beliefs regardless of whether or not they were in the majority or under authority. These types of people may incur a lot of pain in the process, but they are the people who change the world for the better. As for the laughter, I think that this was a result of nervousness, and some humor. Once the teacher realized that the students life was threatened, the laughter seized, convincing me that it was a result of humor in the beginning stages of the experiment.
I was absent for the class in which we watched the Milgram Experiment however I would have to believe that the pressure of just going along with the group is what motivated some of the administers. Being told that it must be done and that it was fine was enough and even though some questioned the actions, they continued as told.
The reason one might laugh while inflicting pain or while watching someone hurt someone else is due to nerves. Nervous laughter is common in a situation where someone is not sure how they should feel at the given moment. I personally laugh nervously at things that are serious. In this case laughter could be looked at as relieving tension and expressing relief that someone else is “on the spot,” in this case someone else is being shocked not the person laughing. When volunteers administered the shocks there were similar reactions including laughing and questioning about the students health. The pressure placed on them as the experiment continued was the larger shocks that the teacher felt more nervous about giving to the student. They all decided to stop at different places and I was shocked some people went all the way to the highest volts. I learned how easily it was for regular people to trust an authority figure and obey.
I think obedience is encouraged by having the need to fit in with peers. I also think it is encouraged because some people listen to people of higher authority just because they have a higher status. The laughter they were expressing in the video wasn't real laughter, it was relieving the tension they had while performing the activity. I noticed some of the people were crying or kept putting their hand on their head. I learned how easy it is to have your values and opinions swayed by others.
I think what encourages obedience is the need to go along with the group. People do not want to be singled out or labeled as different. I don't think that people laughed because it was funny, I believe it is a way for some people to relieve tension and is a reaction they do not have much control over. A lot of the volunteers questioned the experiment once the student could be heard yelling and asking to be let out, but then the scientists said it was their responsibility and the experiment required the teacher to continue. I was surprised that so many of the teachers went all the way with only a little convincing. I learned how powerful a person in authority can be to someone lower than them.
I think all three of those factors can drive obedience. Some people may fear authority, some have the desire to please, and some feel the need to be part of the group. I think the people laughed in order to relieve tension because the environment of the experiment was so intense that people felt the need to get rid of it somehow. Some of the people looked pained and struggled through administering the shocks, and others did it with ease. As the experiment proceeded, more pressure was added by using greater shocks and having the "learner" scream and make noise or not answer at all. I learned that people are very trusting of those in authority, and are willing to do bad things as long as the blame cannot be placed on them.
In today's society we are expected to act "obedient" to a certain standard. Societies standard of obedience today is typically to not be an "outcast". Many people's actions in today's society are based solely on what they were taught growing up. For many people it may be the fear of getting in trouble, the fear of fitting in, or the fear of not pleasing someone of higher authority. During the film as some of the teachers began laughing I felt as though they were uncomfortable with the position they were put in. I felt as though the teachers felt inferior to talk back to the test administrator solely because they were of higher power then them. The teachers clearly knew shocking innocent individuals was wrong but began to laugh nervously and uncomfortabley because they were unsure of what to do. When watching the film I learned how much our society will act like sheep and work on command. No one in the film really fought back. No teachers disciplined the administrator to show them how wrong this was. The teachers in the film only seemed to start worrying when they weren't hearing sounds from the shock room. As this continued the teachers often took breaks to process what they were doing in their head and question the test administrator. Never in the film did I see a teacher truly stand up for his beliefs and prove it to the administrator. I learned how much one person's opinion matters and how everyone should have their own voice even if it's something completely different then the others.
This film was yet another eye opening experience for me. I have always been intrigued by experiments done that evaluate the psychology of the human mind. This experiment was no different and shows an extremely important factor in the history of Nazi Germany. At first in this course I was skeptical of the fact that every German could be so easily indoctrinated by the government and be able to turn against their fellow man to the point of murder. Other documentaries showed how doctors played a pivotal role in the brainwashing of these citizens. I think that doctors are the most trusted individuals in a community, as a people we trust them and believe them, as they are meant to be very intelligent also. This experiment proved this point, 50% of the normal Americans, without any other persuasive factors besides the doctor, were able to go all the way to the limit of torture against someone else.
There are several factors which encourage obedience. The first one being fear of going against an authority figure or a group. This results in the person with less power and authority to be easily controlled and manipulated by a person who has more power. Another main factor is not thinking for yourself. This allows you to be easily controlled by anyone and results in you blindly following their orders. This can obviously have many negative impacts on other people. Laughter in the classroom was to release tension that built up while watching the film. I learned how easily people blindly follow someone even if it is putting someone else at risk which is why we must think for ourselves and be blindly persuaded into following someone with bad intentions.
this experiment showed how high figures have control over others. 50 percent did what they were told and the other 50 percent went with their morals and did what was right. this film showed how others with power influence those of the lower status.
I couldnt believe that many of the people continued on with the experiment. Although I was aware that the recordings were fake, the people involved in the experiment were not and they still continued the experiment. It made me feel good when some of the people refused to continue. This experiment is a great example of how Hitler was able to come into power. This experiment also shows how people will always listen to someone in power.
I believe obedience is rooted from fear. In the Milgram Experiment the "teachers" were being told what to do by a doctor or scientist conducting an experiment. To anyone this person would come of as an authoritative figure. The teachers were confident that this man knew what he was talking about enough to carry on through the screams of the student. When someone smarter than you tells you that something is okay and the right thing to do it is our reaction as humans to intially believe them because they know what they are talking about. In Nazi Germany most people probably started like this but ended up in the categorey of wanting to please those asking favors of them.
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I would say that obedience is rooted in fear, whether that fear is for your life, your families life or even of failure it drives people to do things that they normaly wouldnt even consider when suggested by someone of power that they are afraid of. I think the teachers started to laugh because they were afraid, they were shocking someone against there will and so they had to release that tension in some manor. the fear of failure affects the acctions you take in front of someone greatly.
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