Obedience throughout generations 1

Obedience throughout generations

Nadeen Moussa

University of North Texas

Obedience throughout generations 2

Obedience throughout generations

Following orders in a simple task can be described through science behind it. Obedience

itself can be harmful or influential. For example, obeying your parents as a kid saves you from

getting harmed as sticking a fork into an electrical socket. While, it can be harmful if you are

ordered to obey dictatorship and unfair ruling. Many outrages and wars occurred in history due

to the obedience of harmful rulers. Why do we obey higher figures? Why is obedience enforced

without knowing the truth and reasons behind it? Psychology explains the reason behind human

being’s obedience and how it has changed throughout.

Statement of the problem

Obedience is a well-mannered trait that everyone should possess. A successful city is run by

balanced obedience. The will to follow an order and be directed is the problem. A person must

understand the logic behind the order to be able to obey to it. The problem with obedience is that

many people may be obeying the wrong order so not only obedience may be the fault but also

group-following. The purpose of this study is to observe if someone can be able to stop

themselves from obeying orders that may be harming them. For the purpose of this study, the

following question was addressed as Milgram suggested ways in order to reduce the groupthink

like obeying and following wrong authorities due to pressure upon them based on cognitive and

physical factors. Milgram’s hypothesis can be successful if tested.

As Milgram stated Four Solutions (cherry k, Milgram’s experiment)

1.) Question the authority’s legitimacy.

2.) When instructed to carry out an act you find abhorrent, even by a legitimate authority,

stop and ask yourself: "Is this something I would do on my own initiative?"

3.) Don't even start to comply with commands you feel even slightly uneasy about.
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4.) If you are part of a group that has been commanded to carry out immoral actions, find an

ally in the group who shares your perceptions and is willing to join you in opposing the

objectionable commands.

Method

Participants

Participants involved can vary from ages of 13 and above, preferably college students

from ages 18-24 with a mixed gender. As college students have been through multiple

developments that must have faced problems with obedience compared to 13 years old. No

characteristics needed for this experiment. Participants can be chosen at random and every age is

at least represented once in the sample.

Research Design

the 10 participants chosen from age 18-24 will be directed to a room under different idea of test

that will be run of hand-eye coordination. 10 desks will be lined up in 2 even rows and leader at

the front of the room. The leader will guide them to write down a couple of words read aloud by

him/her. From the participants, 5 students will be informed of the actual study being tested and

are scattered at random between the other 10 students. After the leader has ordered the

participants for a long time that many of them are now uncomfortable and uninterested with the

task given. A sign will be given to the 5 informed participants to get the rest 5 to disobey the

instructions and the order given. This will be done according to Milgram’s 4th solution as the

participants in a group of 10; it is easy to find a partner that shares the same ideas and view as

them or the most applicable. According to my hypothesis, the study can be successful according

to Milgram’s 4th solution. The 4th solution implies if a group has been commanded to carry out
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immoral orders, finding a partner who shares the same perception and can be willing to go

against the leader and disobey the commands with you.

Measures

Instruments used can be cameras around the room to preview multiple angles and views

of the participants and the solutions being tested. Also, microphones can be with the 5

participants that are informed of the experiment.

Instrument 1: Cameras. A visual record is needed for this experiment and cameras can

deliver this aspect. As to have a proof, videos are needed to be able to convince and show other

of Milgram’s solution succeeding and can also work on them.

Instrument 2: Microphones. Milgram’s fourth solution states communication between

two or more people is required. People need to be able to hear what is being said by the 5

informed participants to the actual ones and see if Milgram’s solution is viable.

Discussion

Milgram’s experiment could be very beneficial to others in the future as one of the

solutions can be used to face and oppose against a dictator or an order that is being directed and

going against morality. Many researches can be built based on Milgram’s experiment and

solutions and see the change over time and developments.

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References

American Psychology Association. (2004). Obeying and Resisting Malevolent Orders. Retrieved

from

http://www.apa.org/research/action/order.aspx

Boundless (2015) Boundless Sociology. Retrieved from

https://www.boundless.com/sociology/textbooks/boundless-sociology-textbook/deviance-
social-control-and-crime-7/social-control-60/conformity-and-obedience-368-10204

Simply Psychology. McLeod, S. (2007) The Milgram Experiment. Retrieved from

http://www.simplypsychology.org/milgram.html

What is Obedience? Cherry, K. (2013) The Milgram Obedience Experiment. Retrieved from

http://psychology.about.com/od/historyofpsychology/a/milgram.htm