- We are obedient to authority; video on Milgramo In the 1960s Stanley Milgram conducted one of the most controversial studies in social psychology on obedienceo His study was intended to test if American’s were also very obedient (based on German obedience in during WWII)o A participant read a list of words to a man in an adjacent room through an intercom andthe man in the other room had to identify which of the words didn’t belong. If the man answered incorrectly or didn’t answer at all, the participant was asked to administer a shock. The man in the other room always or almost always answered the questions incorrectly or didn’t answer at all.o Nearly 2/3 of the participants in Milgram’s study completely obeyed the directives of the experimenter, providing what they believed was a shock that was sufficient to kill the opposed learner, although they were uncomfortable with what they were doing andwanted to stop.o How they changed the pattern of obedience: If the participant actually helped apply the electrodes to the man in the other room (there was human interaction) they were less likely to be obedient If the experimenter didn’t take responsibility (when the participant asked who was responsible) the participant was less likely to obey If the experimenter lacked status/authority (e.g. an experimenter at a universityvs. an experimenter in dingy strip mall) the participants were less likely to obey (If the instructions were given by phone and the experimenter wasn’t there in person the participants were less likely to obey)o The prediction had originally been that fewer than 1/10 of the participants would obey completely and apply the maximum level of shocko Later studies have replicated Milgram’s findings suggesting that ordinary people can be coerced into obedience by insistent authorities, even when what they are coerced into goes against the way they would usually behave.- How does the social-control and interpersonal influence process work?o Jonestown (& video) November 18, 1978, 914 members of the “People’s Temple” cult committed suicide at the order of their cult leader, self-professed messiah, James Jones. Jones promised his followers that they were going to the “promised land” His followers were just normal people Jones moved his cult to a remote place in Guyana after people’s families started questioning why he was taking their money. They built their own town, Jonestown. When Jones knew he was being looked for, he had his followers commit suicide by drinking cyanide laced Kool Aid Some of his followers tried to escape when they realized people were dying Why did they follow him?- Classic example of power of social influence & mind control techniqueso Alienated population in time of fear- they were looking for others to connect too Big Brother is watching youo Self-incrimination….tell me your fears & mistakes- Jones then used this information against peopleo Suicide drills (foot in the door)o Distorting perceptions o Thanks for all the food (cognitive dissonance)- they worked hardlong days but were still forced to be thankfulo He started with positive messages and slowly became more destructiveo Pressure to conformo Adolf Eichmann Chief of the Jewish Office of the Gestapo Entrusted to implement the “final solution”- a nice way to label something horrible (Jewish extermination) He gradually took away the Jews’ rights, used propaganda and dehumanizing imagery When he was asked why he did what he did, he said he was simply following orders The concentration camp guards were deindividualized, they got into their roles as guards Quote summary- people don’t want war but leaders determine policy and easilyconvince people by telling them that they are being attacked, denouncing peacemakers for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to dangero My Lai massacre Group think Soldiers were under pressure and couldn’t tell who the enemy was. They were told that the enemy soldiers were hiding in the village, thought they found none, but they continued to follow orders to kill the villagers The facts as reported in the Capital Times and Newsweek articles:- Lt. Calley gave the orders to kill the villagers- Lt. Calley’s defense at his Court Martial proceeding was that he was just following orders- Hugh Thompson’s Heroism: he was removed from the social psychology aspect because he was in a helicopter so there was no group think or pressure to conform involved. He was confused as to what was going on and then saw that the Americans were killing the villagers. He landed the helicopter and threatened to shoot anyone who harmed the villagers.- The response within the Army to Officer Thompson: he was ostracized and people thought he shouldn’t have told people what happenedo Iraq Abu Ghraib Prison- U.S. soldiers were torturing people and taking pictures Someone released the pictures because they were disturbed by the behavior E.g. a prisoner was standing on a box blindfolded ( dehumanization) and wireswere attached to him. He was electrocuted when he stepped off the box E.g. a female soldier put a prisoner on a leash like a dog naked E.g. a woman is smiling in a picture next to a prisoner tortured to death The media was horrified and wondered what was wrong with these soldiers Zimbardo: “You can’t be a sweet cucumber in a vinegar barrel” (the situation shapes your behavior)o Bandura: the interaction of person & situation  the concept of moral disengagement- 1- We redefine harmful behavior as honorable- 2- Minimize our personal responsibility- 3- Ignore, distort, minimize negative consequences of our behavior- 4- Reconstruct our perception of the victims as deserving the punishment How can we promote moral engagement- Countless examples of risking self to save others (sheltering jews, helping others out of twin towers, etc.)- Humanization- The case of Thompson ending massacre at My Laio Bystander apathy Why do people stand up and do the right thing or ignore the distress of others at times? The case of Kitty Genovese- 1964- Kitty, a young woman, was walking home and was assaulted- 38 witnesses over 30 minute assault- Why didn’t they help? Bystander apathy- not helping people in need of help Video on bystander apathy- People die in public all the time and no one calls 911 when they witness them dying- We assume other people are