Applying Milgram's research on conformity to the torture of prisoners by American soldiers that took place at
Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq demonstrates that
A)the torture of prisoners by American soldiers must have been the act of a few cruel and deranged people.
B)the reasons that prisoners were tortured by soldiers lay within the social structure and the group pressure of the situation.
C)the American soldiers are in no way responsible for their actions.
D)only new recruits with little experience would conform to authority if told to intentionally harm another person.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Milgram's research showed that individuals can be influenced to conform to authority, especially when they are part of a group in a particular social context. The torture of prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison can be understood as a result of the social structure and the group pressure that existed within the military and political context of the war in Iraq. It is important to hold individuals accountable for their actions, but it is also important to understand the larger social forces at play that may have contributed to those actions.

Applying Milgram's Research on Conformity to the Torture of Prisoners