Yikes...blind obedience....

[Nicos]

Well- I missed this- but it does make you think

BBC News - Row over 'torture' on French TV

[Jeanied]

I knew I had heard of this kind of thing before - how about this link ref the Milgram experiment.
In Repeat of Milgram’s Electric Shock Experiment, People Still Pull the Lever | 80beats | Discover Magazine

[weekendwellies]

I saw it in the Metro yesterday.
it is a known psychology experiment.
I am surprised people still fall for it.
And even more surprised that people still cant think and have good morals for themselves.

[zebedee]

Doesn't that just go to show the beast that lies in each of us? Most of us can keep it under control, but what would it take to unleash it? Very, very scary

[Nicos]

Was it complied with because of the thrill of power- or blind following?
Both are appalling- but the former is surely more worrying

[Brengirl]

I think the contestants are thick but more worrying is the executioners. Now they must definitely be sick

[OllieMartin]

Yup, the Milgram experiment has been reproduced quite a few times. Derren Brown did it on his show where he convinced 5 members of the public to hold up a security van!
I believe it's a proof that people will do things they wouldn't ordinarily if told to be a person in authority or a uniform.
They also conducted it with pairs of people, and found that they were more likely to inflict the pain as they didn't want to look like the cissy in front of their peer.

[organic]

The guy shouting "Let me out of here!" in the BBC video sounds like Jools Holland!

The results of the experiments don't surprise me much at all though. I've not heard of them before but the findings getainly fit with the way I understand things.

The point about those with experience of rebelling being more likely to refuse was an interesting one.

[northepaul]

Kind of a bit like a 'Lord of the Flies' scenario?
It does make you think...!

[OllieMartin]

Other variations
Charles Sheridan and Richard King hypothesized that some of Milgram's subjects may have suspected that the victim was faking, so they repeated the experiment with a real victim: a puppy who was given real electric shocks. They found that 20 out of the 26 participants complied to the end. The six that had refused to comply were all male (54% of males were obedient[26]); all 13 of the women obeyed to the end, although many were highly disturbed and some openly wept.

Surely this is far more deplorable

[organic]

Ollie - the experiment? The distress? That most continued?
I think I agree that all are pretty deplorable, but wonder what you meant.

[Hilary B]

I would call that experiment totally obscene. The rest is worrying.....

[maytreefrannie]

The contestants were told it was a game show pilot - I'd think that was a hefty clue that the participants would not actually come to any harm, despite the appearance of the effect if the button-pushing.

Also - how arrogant of the organisers to set up this type of event and then blame those taking part and make assumptions about them on the basis of a game show pilot.