Introduction
Many people question whether the Milgram experiment was ethical or not, and whether the experiment should had been allowed at all. But like most significant psychological discoveries, sometimes ethics could’ve been overseen in order to obtain great data. Because of Milgram experiment, psychologists today have a better understanding of group dynamics. Milgram’s experiment enabled better understanding of human obedience to an authority figure. Ethics that might have been violated throughout the process of Milgram’s study can be justified in the experiment itself. Milgram’s study discovered great psychological data.
Experiment Context
In 1961, Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram conducted the first obedience …show more content…
Participants in the experiment were not aware of the true nature of the study. Participants were told that the study was based upon punishment in relation to learning, and not obedience in relation to an authority figure. According to the Video, Stanley Milgram deceived participants of the true objectives of the study with the goal of minimizing their bias in the experiment (Video). Stanley Milgram deceiving the participants can be completely justified. He knew that the study would turn out to be successful if the subjects knew less about the true intentions of the experiment. This is true because if Milgram would’ve told his subjects that the experiment was going to make them sadistic in so way, and obedient towards hurting a human being, they probably wouldn’t had done …show more content…
As I recall from the video, some of the participants did seem to have a little stress due to the aftermath of the experiment, but that’s was nothing that could’ve affected them permanently (Video). It is completely understandable that some participants could’ve been stressed after realizing the true nature of the experiment, but that’s nothing to be considered permanent psychological damage. It is also understandable that some of those participants might’ve become somewhat a little self-conscious after realizing the nature of their acts during the experiment, but that also in my opinion isn’t considered a cause of permanent psychological damage.
Conclusion
Although the Milgram experiment might’ve be seen as unethical for some people, it can be justified. Methods such as deceiving others, and retention are completely acceptable and justifiable in my opinion when in the process of obtaining great psychological data. None of the participants were permanently psychologically injured in my belief because the experiment had no ways of doing so. The Milgram study can be entirely justified because it discovered great psychological date of group