To what extent are capable of being irrational?

The experience of Yale University.

The horror that most people experienced when they discovered what had happened in Nazi Germany during World War II often accompanied virtuous statements to the effect that "such a thing could never have it happen here?, Of that we would not have allowed such atrocities.

Do not we would have never allowed? What happened in Nazi Germany? Are we all capable of being irrational? To what extent? Trace the Li Who ¬ boundary?

One of the scariest articles I've read appeared in the form of a review written by Ralph Crawshaw psychiatrist on the book by Fred J. Cook, published by Macmillan under the title: The Country filthy: the social values ​​of modern America. Crawshaw wrote:

In essence, Cook says in El Pais corrupted that American citizens have abandoned their personal moral collective morals, institutionalized. They have abandoned the belief committed reflexive emotionalism and popularity, ie, responsibility for compliance. Bitter medicine, indeed. We can always cover behind the fact that it has no statistical evidence that is merely a personal impression of you, that really does not matter much after all. Or do you have it?

I quote a piece of social criticism BRE ¬ Crawshaw a report about a research project carried out by Stanley Milgram at Yale University, which provides evidence in response to this question:

The research at Yale Milgrarn Stanlev begin laying a scientific basis for deductions from Cook. Milgrarn conducted a series of psychological experiments on obedience. He took a composite sample of the adult male population (twenty to fifty years) of Bridgeport, Connecticut, where he had from unskilled workers to professionals. The experiment sought to determine how much a person would be willing to punish other orders pursuant to DC, but was falsely presented as a scientific study conducted by Brid society geport ¬ Research Associates on teaching techniques. The subjects were randomly selected and paid four dollars and half for the time lost.

Was tied to the 'pupil' to an 'electric chair' as des ¬ have allowed the subject (who served as a teacher) experience electrical shock of 45 volts ¬ Trica, on a trial basis for the conven ¬ cerler authenticity of the instrument. Then, from an adjoining room, cl subject (teacher). Administer an electric shock of increasing intensity for each incorrect answer. In reality, the "student" did not receive the current, but their reactions appeared in a tape on which were engraved murmurs, gasps, ¬ aulli prayers and two corresponding to the successive increase in voltage. The answers were pre ¬ viously prepared by the experimenter so that the limiting factor co ¬ Uni that could prevent the "master" maximum electrical shock delivery was his compassion for the pain of a human being. For the teacher (the man in the street) the dispute involved the choice between obedience to authority ¬ tary system and his own belief that you should not do harm to another person.

. What percentage of teachers alleged re ¬ ran all the way and given the maximum unloaded ga ¬? But, before you venture a number, hear the voice of man in the street inside the microphone:

150 volts Download: "Do you want to continue?"

(ORDER).

165 volts Download: "That guy is screaming. There are many people here. Maybe you have heart. Do you want to continue? "(ORDER).

180 volts Download: "You can not stand it. I will not kill that man! Did not hear you scream? It is howling. I can not stand. What if we occupy ¬ rriera something? You know what I mean. I mean, I refuse any responsibility. (The experiment ¬ ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY DOR) "As."

195 volt, 210, 225, 240, and so on.

The subject (teacher) did not make to obey the experimenter. Nearly a thousand of teachers par ¬ pated. What per cent of them were due to end? Tell a figure before going Leyen ¬ do. A group of forty psychiatrists who examined the draft would be predicted that one-tenth of one percent. In the actual experiment, sixty-two percent were due to finish the orders that led the experiment. What was your estimate?

Milgram concluded: "With monotonous regularity could see good people buckling under the demands of authority and doing evil deeds and severe. Men who in everyday life responsible ¬ target and decent beings let themselves be seduced by the lure of authority for control of their perceptions and uncritical acceptance of the ca ¬ definition of the situation given by the experimenter, to the extent of cruel actions. For this author, the results, such as saw and felt in the laboratory, are alarming. Raise the possibility that human nature ¬ na, or more specifically, the type of pro ¬ duced character in American democratic society, can not be relied on to insulate its citizens from brutality and inhumane treatment balo the direction of a malevolent authority.

The deductions to be drawn from experi ¬ chilling to are really considering that the results only have to do with something irredimi ¬ ble which is part of human nature. Without em ¬ ever, with transactional analysis we discuss the experiment in other terms. We can say that 62 percent of the subjects did not have an emancipated adult with which examines the authority of Pa ¬ dre of the experimenters. Undoubtedly, a pre ¬ course, was not subjected to criticism was the fol ¬ te: "Any experiment necessary for the research ¬ gation is good.? Maybe that was the same budget that allowed scientists "reputation? participate in the atrocities of Nazi Germany's laboratory.

As children, most of us learned to "respect due? to authority. ¬ Give this authority resided in the police, the bus driver, pastor, teacher, postman, the school principal and also in the remote character of the Governor, Congressman, General and the President.

The reaction of many people at the onset of these incarnations of authority is automatic.