I grew up in a country where people believe in all types of mythical evil. It is really difficult not to be scared of all these dark creatures. Luckily, in my family, education, community and even my religion, I was being given the recipe of fighting all that is evil… obedience
Obedience has always been symbol of what is good. Sometime people will mock at it, and argue that it is cowardly. And I can see how it may not be the bravest thing to do, but it still the good way, or at least the safe way. Until I heard these…
No soap, Radio
“No soap, radio” is a classic prank to see how people respond to peer pressure. This prank is usually done by two or more people to fool a victim. One person will play a role of someone who tells a joke to the victim and the other people will have to laugh at the joke after hearing the punch line, “No soap, Radio!”.
The joke is not funny and most of the time it does not make sense at all. However, in most of the cases, the victim will laugh just because all the other people are laughing.
Well, in all fairness, it is just a laugh….
The Asch Experiment
In 1950′s Solomon Asch 35 people, one by one, a number of very easy questions. The trick was, the person who were asked the question was surrounded by a group of actors who would shout wrong answers – without that person knowing that his surroundings are a bunch of actors and that he is the subject of the experiment.
In that situation, 75% of the participants gave incorrect answer to these easy questions.
Well, it is just silly questions
The Hofling Hospital Experiment
In 1966, Charles K. Hofling conduct an experiment. He created a situation where an unknown doctor called 22 nurses and ask them to give “Astroten”, a fictitious and unlisted drug to a patient twice the recommended dose, written in the bottle label.
Despite the fact that the doctor is unknown, the drug is unlisted and the dose is double the recommended, 21 out of 22 nurses obey the doctor’s command.
Really? Nurses in the hospitals? Really? … I have a feeling it’s about to get worse…
The Milgram Experiment
In 1963, Milgram conducted the Milgram Experiment. He asked a number of people to join an “experiment”, without explaining what is the experiment about. In that experiment, he put them in a “teacher” role who had to ask a series of question to another person in a “student” role. Every time the “student” gave wrong answer, the “teacher” have to electrocuted the student in an increasing voltage up to maximum 450 volt. Of course the electrocution is fake and the “student” is actually an actor who just pretend to be electrocuted.
In this experiment, 66% of the “teacher” electrocuted the “student” repeatedly to the maximum voltage despite the student’s screaming. And NONE of the teachers, even those who refuse to electrocute the students, ask for the experiment to be terminated.
Although all participants, in various different stages during the experiment, stated their objection to electrocute the students, they continue to do it whenever they are being given one of the following verbal orders:
“Please continue.”
“The experiment requires that you continue.”
“It is absolutely essential that you continue.”
“You have no other choice, you must go on.”
Crazy, isn’t it? Don’t stop reading! You are about to read the last one…
The Stanford Prison Experiment
Philip Zimbardo conducted the Stanford Prison Experiment in 1971. He asked 24 people to do a role play. Some of them become the prison guard and some of them become the prisoner. They are being put in a place in Stanford’s basement that was made to look just like prison. Within few days, the experiment grew out of hand. The guards became sadistic and inhumane, even though they did not know any of the prisoners before the experiment and they do not get any benefit for being cruel. They verbally and sexually humiliate the prisoners, deny them mattress and even sanitation. Zimbardo who were also take part in the experiment as super-intendent said that he, himself, gets absorbed in the experiment.
Not only the guards, the prisoner also fell into sense of helplessness. None of them quit the experiment even after being told that they will not get their money compensation. The experiment ended in 6 days, instead of planned 14 days.
If I were in the position of the guards in Stanford prison experiment, will I be different then they were? If I were the teacher in Milgram experiment, will I choose not to electrocute? Will I asked the experiment to be stopped? If I don’t understand an order from authority, just like the nurse, will I just follow it? If I don’t understand a joke, will I laugh along?
Why do I do what I do? How obedient have I been in life?
No soap, RADIO! – it’s my cue to laugh along
