Obedience (Research), History of

Abstract

In this article we first trace the origins of Milgram's obedience studies in classic suggestion research and in the conformity studies of Solomon Asch. The basic Milgram paradigm is outlined, with particular emphasis on the so-called ‘new baseline’ condition. The findings in this and other conditions – which range from 0% to 100% obedience – are described. We then look at Milgram's rich speculations about the processes involved, which can be found in his experimental notebooks, archived at Yale University. We contrast this with the ‘agentic state’ explanation which Milgram later used to explain his findings. We also critique this explanation, showing that it cannot account for variations in obedience between conditions, nor the points at which people are most likely to disobey within conditions. We argue that its inadequacy lies in taking the relationship between experimenter and participant for granted, hence ignoring both when and how it is established. Drawing on some of Milgram's early speculations, we advance an ‘engaged follower’ perspective which explains obedience in terms of the identification of participants with the science of the study and with the experimenter as a representative of that science. We conclude by using this perspective to bring together both scientific and ethical dimensions of the Milgram's obedience studies.