Most psychological experiments conducted in college tend to be pretty standard and yield predictable conclusions. However, there are a few that stand out for their chilling methods, cruel consequences, and surprising results. Here are five experiments that revealed some unsettling truths about human nature that many people would rather ignore.
**Asch Conformity Test**
In 1953, Solomon Asch wanted to see if individuals would conform to a group’s opinion even when it was clearly wrong. He set up a vision test where subjects were placed in a room with several other people who were in on the experiment. Each person was asked to answer simple questions about the vision test, but the group was instructed to give blatantly incorrect answers. Surprisingly, 32% of the participants conformed to the group’s wrong answers if three or more people gave the same incorrect response. This experiment showed that about a third of people are likely to follow the crowd, even against their own judgment.
**Stanford Prison Experiment**
One of the most notorious psychological experiments, conducted by Philip Zimbardo in 1971, looked at how individuals react to roles of authority and submission. Zimbardo recruited 24 participants and assigned them roles as either guards or prisoners in a mock prison, with Zimbardo himself acting as superintendent. The participants were allowed to quit at any time, but within just 24 hours, they began acting out their roles intensely: prisoners staged a riot while guards started to humiliate them. Despite the distress, no prisoner chose to leave the makeshift prison. The experiment, which had to be terminated after just six days, revealed that those in power can quickly become abusive, and those oppressed might not act to change their situation even when they have the option.
**The Milgram Experiment**
Stanley Milgram’s 1961 experiment was conducted to explore the reasons behind the actions of Nazis, who often defended themselves by saying they were “just following orders.” Participants were instructed to ask questions to a person over an intercom and administer electric shocks for wrong answers. Unbeknownst to them, no actual shocks were given, but they believed they were causing real harm. Shockingly, about 60% of participants administered what they thought were fatal shocks when pressured by the authority figure. This demonstrated the alarming power of authority in compelling individuals to act against their moral beliefs.
**Bobo Doll Experiment**
This experiment aimed to show that children learn social behavior such as aggression through imitation. Children were shown adults interacting with a Bobo doll—some saw violent behavior, while others witnessed non-violent actions or complete disregard for the doll. The children who observed violent interactions were more likely to replicate that aggression. Conversely, those who saw adults playing peacefully or ignoring the doll did not show aggressive tendencies. This study by Albert Bandura highlighted the significant influence of observed behavior on children’s actions.
**Missing Child Experiment**
This experiment illustrated how oblivious people can be to their surroundings. Researchers placed a missing child poster with a photo of a boy on the doors of a busy store. Despite the poster’s clear visibility, people either ignored it or only gave it a glance. Ironically, the child featured in the poster stood right by the store’s entrance, yet no one noticed him. This experiment underscored our general inattentiveness in everyday environments.
**Little Albert**
Known as one of the most unethical psychological experiments, the Little Albert experiment involved a nine-month-old infant named Albert. He was initially unafraid when placed near a white rat, but the lead researcher, Rosalie Rayner, introduced loud, frightening noises whenever Albert touched the rat. Over time, the baby became terrified of the rat, and his fear generalized to other white, furry objects. This study, conducted by John Watson and Rosalie Rayner, demonstrated that fear could be conditioned, but it also drew criticism for its lack of ethical consideration.
These experiments, though controversial and ethically dubious, have provided deep insights into human behaviors and the power dynamics at play within us.