Mr. Williams seems very knowledgeable as he explains the reasons for the experiment. You notice a book titled, The Teaching-Learning Process, on a nearby table. Jack Williams then takes two pieces of paper, puts them in a hat, and tells each of you to choose one. He explains that one says "learner" and the other says "teacher" and that this will define your roles in the experiment. You learn that you will be the "teacher".
The article goes on to explain how the subject is "set-up" to believe that he is sending painful electric shocks to the "learner" during the course of the experiment. .
Milgram believed that most people except for an aberrant few, would not obey the experimenter once they realized they were causing the learner pain. Milgram was in for a big surprise. .
The subjects did follow through with the experiment. In fact, Milgram found it difficult to find anyone willing to protest or refuse to continue. It took several changes to the experiment including, a less prestigious location, a less professional looking experimenter, and much more pronounced complaints and agonized cries from the learner, before a significant number of subjects refused to obey. Much to Milgram's dismay the number of individuals willing to follow the experiment through to the bitter end, still remained incredibly high. As many as 65% of the test subjects obediently completed the experiment, believing that they were administering a 450 volt shock to an unwilling participant.
To explain the results of this study it would be easy to say that humans are, by nature, mean and sadistic. Looking at the individuals involved in the experiment calls for a different answer. Most of the "teachers" were uncomfortable in their roles when asked to inflict pain. They found no pleasure in the task, but something made them do it anyway. The subjects often protested and argued and tried to talk their way out, but most, when pushed, continued.
