Milgram's obedience study is one of psychology's most shocking experiments,...
Psychology663 views·Updated 29 Aug 2026·1 pageUnderstanding Obedience: Insights from Milgram's Study
Amy Breen@amybreen_ikkr
1
of 1
Milgram's Study of Obedience
Ever wondered how far you'd go just because someone in charge told you to? Milgram's 1963 experiment tested exactly this by seeing if 40 male volunteers would give electric shocks to strangers.
The setup was deceptively simple. Participants became the "teacher" whilst a confederate (someone working with Milgram) played the "learner". Every time the learner got a question wrong, the teacher had to deliver an electric shock - and these shocks got stronger each time, reaching a terrifying 450 volts.
The results were staggering. 65% of participants continued right to the maximum shock level, and nobody stopped before 300V. What's mental is that psychology students predicted only 3% would go to the highest level - they were completely wrong about human nature.
Key Insight: The situation you're in matters more than your personality when it comes to obedience. Most people aren't naturally cruel - they just follow authority figures.
Milgram concluded that situational factors - like having someone in a lab coat telling you what to do - are incredibly powerful in determining how we behave. It's not about being a "bad person"; it's about the social pressure around you.
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Psychology663 views·Updated 29 Aug 2026·1 pageUnderstanding Obedience: Insights from Milgram's Study
Amy Breen@amybreen_ikkr
Milgram's obedience study is one of psychology's most shocking experiments, literally. It revealed how ordinary people can be pushed to harm others simply because an authority figure tells them to - findings that still influence our understanding of human behaviour...
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Milgram's Study of Obedience
Ever wondered how far you'd go just because someone in charge told you to? Milgram's 1963 experiment tested exactly this by seeing if 40 male volunteers would give electric shocks to strangers.
The setup was deceptively simple. Participants became the "teacher" whilst a confederate (someone working with Milgram) played the "learner". Every time the learner got a question wrong, the teacher had to deliver an electric shock - and these shocks got stronger each time, reaching a terrifying 450 volts.
The results were staggering. 65% of participants continued right to the maximum shock level, and nobody stopped before 300V. What's mental is that psychology students predicted only 3% would go to the highest level - they were completely wrong about human nature.
Key Insight: The situation you're in matters more than your personality when it comes to obedience. Most people aren't naturally cruel - they just follow authority figures.
Milgram concluded that situational factors - like having someone in a lab coat telling you what to do - are incredibly powerful in determining how we behave. It's not about being a "bad person"; it's about the social pressure around you.
We thought you’d never ask...
Our AI Companion is a student-focused AI tool that offers more than just answers. Built on millions of Knowunity resources, it provides relevant information, personalised study plans, quizzes, and content directly in the chat, adapting to your individual learning journey.
You can download the app from Google Play Store and Apple App Store.
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Explore the groundbreaking Milgram Experiment, which investigates the extent of obedience to authority figures. This summary covers the study's methodology, key findings, and implications, revealing how ordinary individuals can commit inhumane acts under pressure. Ideal for psychology students and those interested in social behavior.
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135368
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Explore key theories of social influence, including conformity, compliance, and obedience. This summary covers pivotal studies such as Milgram's obedience experiment and Asch's conformity tests, highlighting their implications in psychology. Ideal for AQA A Level Psychology students seeking to grasp the dynamics of social behavior and authority.
122,13561
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Explore the groundbreaking Milgram experiment that reveals the extent of human obedience to authority. This summary covers the study's background, methodology, key findings, and implications for understanding social influence and moral behavior. Ideal for A-level psychology students seeking to grasp the complexities of obedience theory.
124738
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Students love us, and so will you.
4.6/5App Store
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The app is very easy to use and well designed. I have found everything I was looking for so far and have been able to learn a lot from the presentations! I will definitely use the app for a class assignment! And of course it also helps a lot as an inspiration.
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Samantha KlichAndroid user
Wow, I am really amazed. I just tried the app because I've seen it advertised many times and was absolutely stunned. This app is THE HELP you want for school and above all, it offers so many things, such as workouts and fact sheets, which have been VERY helpful to me personally.
AnnaiOS user