Stanley Milgram's shocking experiment reveals how far people obey authority, sparking debate and reshaping psychology.

[00:00.19]In the early 1960s, the shadow of the Holocaust and the Nuremberg trials loomed large over the world.
[00:07.67]People everywhere were disturbed by a haunting question, how could regular citizens play a role in such brutality? Stories from the trials revealed that many participants in horrific acts were not notorious villains, but ordinary men and women.
[00:22.57]Psychologists, historians, and citizens alike searched for answers.
[00:27.87]Among them was Stanley Milgram, a young psychologist at Yale University.
[00:33.77]Milgram became obsessed with understanding the roots of obedience.
[00:37.93]Was there something unique about the people involved, or could anyone under the right circumstances commit such acts? Milgram proposed a radical idea.
[00:48.88]Perhaps acts of cruelty were less about monstrous personalities and more about the power of authority.
[00:56.68]Maybe, he thought, compliance wasn't reserved for a few.
[01:01.29]Maybe it was alarmingly common.
[01:03.54]As these questions swirled, Milgram planned a bold and controversial experiment to test the limits of human obedience.

In the early 1960s, the shadow of the Holocaust and the Nuremberg Trials loomed large over the world. People everywhere were disturbed by a haunting question: How could regular citizens play a role in such brutality? Stories from the trials revealed that many participants in horrific acts were not notorious villains, but ordinary men and women. Psychologists, historians, and citizens alike searched for answers. Among them was Stanley Milgram, a young psychologist at Yale University. Milgram became obsessed with understanding the roots of obedience. Was there something unique about the people involved, or could anyone, under the right circumstances, commit such acts? Milgram proposed a radical idea: perhaps acts of cruelty were less about monstrous personalities and more about the power of authority. Maybe, he thought, compliance wasn’t reserved for a few. Maybe it was alarmingly common. As these questions swirled, Milgram planned a bold and controversial experiment to test the limits of human obedience.

The Milgram Experiment: Obedience to Authority

A World Asking Why