Experimenter (2015)
Content Area
,
Movie Story Line
The story of Stanley Milgram's classic experiment in the early 1960s that "ordered" subjects to deliver an "electric shock" to another person. The movie explores how the experiments took place at Yale University and then the public backlash that happened over ethical concerns. The movie includes archival footage from the actual experiments.
Watch the Trailer

Watch This Movie
Watch Experimenter on demand
Topics
, , , ,
Teaching Idea #1

Compare and Contrast Milgram's study with Solomon Asch's conformity experiments.
Stanley Milgram's Theory of Conformism built upon the work of Asch's earlier conformity experiments. Compare the 2 experiments and identify the Independent and Dependent Variables, as well as the conclusions. How did the experiments differ in ethical ways?

Teaching Idea #2

How do Milgram's findings relate to the WWII Holocaust?
How did the Holocaust influence Milgram to design his experiment? Identify 2 reasons why Milgram's findings can help explain human behavior during the Holocaust. Identify at least 2 reasons why the experiment's results don't really apply to understanding the Holocaust.

Teaching Idea #3

Defining Terms
Describe authority of the institution, proximity of control, and presence of dissenters. Give modern day examples of each term for how it can be used to extract obedience from a person.