Abstract

CANTO ORTIZ, Jesús M.  and  ALVARO, José L.. Beyond obedience: reanalysis of Milgram's research. Escritos de Psicología [online]. 2015, vol.8, n.1, pp.13-20. ISSN 1989-3809.  https://dx.doi.org/10.5231/psy.writ.2015.0701.

Milgram's obedience to authority study is considered one of the most important studies in social psychology. Its impact has gradually spread to social psychology, other branches of psychology, and other social sciences. This article analyses the reciprocal influence of Milgram's studies and Arendt's concept of the banality of evil. It also offers a critical analysis of Milgram's theoretical model (agentic state) and Arendt's concept of the banality of evil. It is suggested that there is no empirical evidence of the existence of an agentic state or a relationship between this state and the levels of obedience achieved in Milgram's experiments. Furthermore, recent studies on the Holocaust do not confirm that the criminal actions of the Nazi leaders were acts of due obedience. Theoretical models, such the one based on the perspective of social identity, are needed to explain the results obtained in Milgram's experiments.

Keywords : Authority; Holocaust; Milgram; Obedience.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )