Experimente unter dem Milgram-Paradigma

This paper discusses the origins of Stanley Milgram's experiments and presents an overview of the results of all experiments which were either carried out by Milgram himself or in replications done in accordance with Milgram's paradigm between 1960 and 1985. After determining the general obedience rate of destructive commands, the impact of the following situational factors on behavior is examined: a) the proximity of the victim, b) the institutional and the personal power of the authority exercising an influence, c) the influence of groups in the framework of which the test subjects act and/or of behavioral models with which he or she are confronted. It is demonstrated that a) the victim's proximity represents the strongest determinant of behavior, b) the power of the institutional authority has hardly any influence and that the power of the personal authority has only little, c) pressure to conform that is exerted by groups or behavioral models co-determines behavior under authoritative influence independently of the pressure type. Finally, an assessment is made analyzing whether personal factors can be identified distinguishing obedient from disobedient persons. It is shown that the experiments do not give any indication showing that factors such as sex or age have a significant influence on obedience.