Lessons from Social Psychology (3 Famous Experiments)

Social psychology experiments study how social influence, group pressure, and situational factors shape individual behavior, thoughts, and emotions. This workshop will introduce three of the most famous studies, including:

1) Solomon Asch's conformity experiment (1956) - We readily lie to ourselves to agree with our peers;

2) Stanley Milgram's obedience experiment (1963) - We can be ordered to do things that are horribly cruel, and most of us will comply, and;

3) Phil Zimbardo and the Stanford prison experiment (1971) - People in situations where they have police power over others often, and far too easily, will abuse that power.

These social psychology experiments lead us to ask of ourselves: in these troubled times, how easily might we be led to do evil? Are we honest with ourselves?

-----

Instructor: Larry Rabinowitz

Larry has more college experience than is good for him, majoring in five different subjects while deciding what he wanted to be when he grew up. He was, for two years, a graduate student in social psychology at UCLA when the Milgram experiment was first published.