Why do common people perform unethical acts? Yale psychologist, Stanley Milgram, researches human behavior and wrote about some of his findings in his article, "The Perils of Obedience." In 1963, Milgram conducted a test using random subjects and actors in a fake electric chair. He gave the subject the power to increase the voltage of the electric chair and "shock" the actor as a form of punishment (Milgram 78). To his surprise, the data showed that nearly all of the subjects administered dangerously high voltage (85). No one knows for sure why, but a combination of many factors may be used to interpret this behavior. "The Power of Situations" by Lee Ross and Richard E. Nisbett explains that the scenario of which decisions are made could affect
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In the movie, two marines, Dawson and Downey, obey an order from their superior to give a fellow marine, Santiago, a code red. The men tape Santiago's arms and legs and shove a rag in his mouth, accidentally killing him. Although the marines knew the order was unethical, why did they obey it anyways? Stanley Milgram's experiment greatly relates to this behavior. He had an authoritative figure dressed in a lab coat order the subject to read the word pairs and increase the voltage (Milgram 79). Previously informed that they could leave the experiment at any time, the majority of the subjects continued to obey authority (85). If the man giving orders would have been dressed differently or have been less demanding, the subjects might have refused to go on. A United States marine is expected to follow orders without hesitation. U.S. military expert, Rod Powers, informs in his article "Military Orders" that a soldier in the military takes an oath to obey orders of any officer appointed over them (Powers). As marines, Dawson and Downey were required to obey their colonel. If they were to disobey him, the men could have been severely punished or transferred. Most people have been taught to follow orders from their parents, school teachers, coaches, or any person of authority since they were young. Depending on how the person acts and looks influences your level of obedience to them. Lee Ross and
In the movie, two marines, Dawson and Downey, obey an order from their superior to give a fellow marine, Santiago, a code red. The men tape Santiago's arms and legs and shove a rag in his mouth, accidentally killing him. Although the marines knew the order was unethical, why did they obey it anyways? Stanley Milgram's experiment greatly relates to this behavior. He had an authoritative figure dressed in a lab coat order the subject to read the word pairs and increase the voltage (Milgram 79). Previously informed that they could leave the experiment at any time, the majority of the subjects continued to obey authority (85). If the man giving orders would have been dressed differently or have been less demanding, the subjects might have refused to go on. A United States marine is expected to follow orders without hesitation. U.S. military expert, Rod Powers, informs in his article "Military Orders" that a soldier in the military takes an oath to obey orders of any officer appointed over them (Powers). As marines, Dawson and Downey were required to obey their colonel. If they were to disobey him, the men could have been severely punished or transferred. Most people have been taught to follow orders from their parents, school teachers, coaches, or any person of authority since they were young. Depending on how the person acts and looks influences your level of obedience to them. Lee Ross and