Introduction to the special issue: Unplugging the Milgram machine. (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brannigan, Augustine; Nicholson, Ian; Cherry, Frances
• Other Names: Brannigan Augustine guest-editor.; Nicholson Ian guest-editor.; Cherry Frances guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Theory & psychology. Volume 25:Number 5(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: 551
• Page End: 563
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: experiments as theatrical devices -- internal and external validity of the OTA studies -- the Milgram machine -- obedience and the Holocaust; Psychology -- Periodicals; 150.1
• DOI: 10.1177/0959354315604408
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-3543

Abstract

The current issue of Theory & Psychology is devoted to Stanley Milgram and his contribution to the study of obedience. It presents a decidedly critical evaluation of these well-known experiments that challenges their relevance to our understanding of events such as the Holocaust. It builds on recent investigations of the Milgram archive at Yale. The discipline's adulation of the obedience research overlooks several critical factors: the palpable trauma experienced by many participants, and the stark skepticism of the deceptive cover-story experienced by many others, Milgram's misrepresentation of the way in which the prods were undertaken to ensure standardization, and his failure to de-brief the vast majority of participants. There is also the cherry-picking of findings. The project was whitewashed in the film, Obedience, prepared by Milgram to popularize his conclusions. The articles contributed for this issue offer a more realistic assessment of Milgram's contribution to knowledge.