Perspectives on Obedience to Authority: The Legacy of the Milgram Experiments

The experiments of Stanley Milgram on obedience to authority have achieved a truly remarkable visibility, one that is rare in the social sciences. Although conducted over 30 years ago, Milgram's research is currently one of the most widely cited programs of studies in psychology. From their inception, the obedience studies have also been controversial. For many, they reveal something very illuminating about human nature. They have also been, however, the recipient of scathing ethical and methodological criticism. While the controversial features of Milgram's research have been well documented, the substantive core of Milgram's concern, namely obedience to malevolent authority, has not received correspondingly careful attention. The main objectives of the articles in this issue are to track the progress of the impact of the obedience research in contemporary research and thought, and to suggest directions for the future. This introduction to the present issue provides an empirical and conceptual overview of Milgram's research and concludes by highlighting some major themes in the papers to follow.

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