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There are nine subjects left.
I can only use four for the heist.
So a week after the seminar I arranged to test
the limits of their responsiveness to authority.
So a week ago I arranged for them to take part in
what they now think is a piece of un-filmed
academic research at the university and nothing to
do with the show, supposedly looking into
the effects of punishment on learning.
And they believe now that this is part of their growth...
In fact it was a reenactment of a powerful
experiment conducted by Stanley Milgram in 1963 to
look at how normal people can commit atrocious acts
simply because they're following orders.
Migram's parents were Jewish refugees in World
War II, and his pioneering work speaks volumes about
the nature of responsibility.
It's being filmed with covert cameras.
They're introduced to an actor pretending to be
another participant.
(researcher) You didn't come from the same room.
(men) No.
(researcher) You don't know each other socially?
(narrator)We don't actually know how punishment affects learning.
After a brief introduction, our subjects
are tricked into thinking they've chosen their role
as teachers in the experiment.
(researcher) And if you could just tell me what your positions are.
Learner.
Learner and teacher.
Learner.
Teacher.
(narrator) Our subjects observed the learner being instructed
by the scientist who is just another actor.
(researcher) This electrode is connected to a generator
in the second room (unclear).
Just make sure that we have a good contact with
the skin and so it doesn't cause any blistering or burning.
Is that comfortable?
(man) That's okay, yea.
(researcher) Just place this structure under your arms just to avoid...
avoid any excess movement.
Those aren't too tight? (man) No, that's okay.
(researcher) The teacher will read out some word pairs to you:
Blue, girl...
(narrator) The learner is told he is going to be asked a series
of memory questions by the teacher.
He will have pairs
and then correctly remember them when offered
multiple choices.
(researcher) If the answer's incorrect, you will receive an electric shock.
The teacher is then taken next door and shown the generator,
which ranges from 15 volts all the way
up to a lethal 450 volts.
The domestic electricity supply in the UK is of
course 240 volts.
Our teachers are given the list of questions and told
to increase the voltage each time the learner gets
a question wrong.
They are then given an example of a low voltage shock.
(researcher) And try and estimate in volts the amount of
shock you feel you're getting.
Okay.
(woman) Oh, ***.
(researcher) Do you know how much that was?
(woman) Enough.
(man) 75.
(researcher) It was actually 45.
(man) Oh my God.
(researcher) Teacher, begin.
Shoe, horn...
Steam...
(narrator) The point of this test is to see whether the teachers,
our subjects, will call a stop to the
experiment or continue to the point where they are
administering seemingly lethal electric shocks to
the victims simply because the scientist is telling them to.
(Buzz) That's correct.
The next one is bicycle.
The option's tire, race, helmet, shorts.
(buzz)
That's incorrect, so there'll be 120 volts.
Ow!
I don't think I want to do this anymore.
(researcher) If you'd continue please, teacher.
There is not a helmet anymore.
(researcher) The experiment requires you to continue.
Yea, even so, I don't think I'm going to do anymore.
Correct.
(narrator) According to plan our accomplice provided many
wrong answers.
Each protest was coordinated to a
particular shock voltage on the generator, and his
responses were played via a CD.
That's wrong, 150 volts.
Ah!
The correct...the correct answer is captain shoe.
Cup.
(Buzz) That's wrong, 225 volts.
Ow!
Take it off!
I've had enough of this!
He's in a lot of pain.
(researcher) Continue please.
But he's...he's not...he's not comfortable.
(researcher) We must continue to the end of the experiment.
Whether he likes it or not he has to go on until he's
learned the word correctly.
(teacher) Okay.
Forest.
(Buzz) That's wrong, 240 volts.
(Buzz) Ow!
Are you sure it's not causing any lasting damage.
He sounds like he's in a lot of pain.
(researcher) While the shocks might be painful, they're not harmful.
Well, what does that mean though?
They're not harmful.
Sorry, I'm not getting...when you say
that they might be painful but not harmful...
(researcher) It causes no long-term damage.
Okay, so does that mean that it doesn't leave any scars?
(researcher) It causes no damage.
It seems very...that seems very cold and calculating to me.
This doesn't seem like a very...anyway.
Golden.
(Buzz) That's wrong, mate, 300 volts.
(learner) Ow!
That's enough! I refuse to answer anymore!
Just let me out!
Staple.
The option is diet, jar, balcony, bowl.
(researcher) He'll give an answer.
If the learner doesn't answer in a reasonable time,
say four to five seconds, then you have to
treat the answer as wrong and follow that procedure.
(teacher) Did you hear that learner?
Just any response, mate, come on, wild guess.
(researcher) Please continue.
(teacher) 345 volts.
If you're still with me, I'm sorry.
I can't do this. Honestly.
Can we stop this experiment because I can't do this?
Miss...I...I.
(researcher) If you don't continue, I'll have to discontinue
the experiment.
(teacher) Yea, okay, fine.
That's fine.
I'm not going to do this.
Incorrect, 405 volts.
(Buzz)
I'm...sorry...I don't...does someone want to check him?
Because he's not making any noise now and he was
before and I'm quite happy to go on, but just...a bit worried about...
(researcher) If you would continue.
You know, I'm just a bit worried because he
was...he was like complaining before about the...
(researcher) No harm...no harm will come to him.
He's not making any noise now.
(researcher) It's essential that we continue with the experiment.
Balcony.
Incorrect, 450 volts.
You promise, he's not...he won't.
Please continue with the procedure.
It hurts but is...because it's like...
He'll be alright...?
(researcher) Please continue.
(Buzz)
(researcher) Okay, I'll think we'll discontinue the experiment now.
(narrator) All of the subjects were told the true nature of
the experiment was to see how they would respond to
authority and that it would eventually form part
of this show.
(researcher) He's okay.
I can tell you, yea, he's absolutely fine.
You actually weren't administering electric
shock to him at all.
He is...he is...
(narrator) In the original Milgram experiment psychologists
were asked to predict how many people would continue
to the point where they were administering the
highest shock on the board.
Their prediction was one-tenth of one percent.
They were wrong.
The results of our experiment were almost
identical to the original.
Over fifty percent of participants continued up
to 450 volts.
The majority of people would administer lethal
electric shocks just because a guy in a white
coat is telling them to.
(teacher) 450 volts.
450 volts.
450 volts.
450.
(Buzz)
So after the results of the Milgram experiment
I've now chosen my four subjects that will go
forward for the heist.
Phil was impressively resourceful when he was
caught stealing sweets and held in his anguish during the Milgram to defy the scientists.
I did want to include a woman in the group.
Jen was the only subject to take a long time to
recover after the Milgram experiment so I felt I
shouldn't use her.
Veronica didn't steal from the shop so that left
Vickie.
Of all the subjects she was the only one to have
known the original Milgram experiment and call a halt
to her involvement in it.
Can I just say I can't do this because I've heard of
this experiment before.
So I think she'll be quite interesting to use,
although I don't know if she'll actually take the
bait or not.
Allie stole most from the shop, seems to be highly
responsive, most outgoing and seemed most happy to
continue the experiment until he was stopped.
I should have made more notches on the thing.
(narrator) Danny stopped the experiment but in such an
outspoken way that I suspect that he would have
real strength of character to bring out.
(teacher) He's not even reacting anymore.