Psychology has been a fascinating and constantly evolving discipline throughout history. In this article, we are going to explore the 10 most disturbing psychological experiments that have been carried out, some of which have left an indelible mark on the history of psychology and research ethics.
1. The Stanford Prison Experiment
One of the most famous and controversial experiments in the history of psychology is the Stanford Prison Experiment, conducted in 1971 by psychologist Philip Zimbardo. In this experiment, a group of student volunteers were randomly assigned to play guard and prisoner roles in a prison simulation. What began as a study to examine behavior in situations of power and submission quickly turned into a nightmare with participants engaging in extremely abusive and degrading behavior. The experiment was stopped prematurely due to the negative psychological impact it had on the participants.
Impact and controversies
The Stanford prison experiment has been widely criticized for its lack of ethics and its traumatic impact on the participants. It has raised important questions about the responsibility of researchers to protect the well-being of study subjects and the ethical limits of psychological research.
2. The Milgram Experiment
Another iconic experiment in the history of psychology is Stanley Milgram's obedience experiment, conducted in the 1960s. In this experiment, participants were instructed to administer electric shocks to a actor pretending to be in pain, while an authoritarian investigator told them to continue, despite the victim's pleas. This experiment demonstrated the tendency of people to obey authority, even when their actions may cause harm to others.
Lessons Learned
The Milgram experiment has been widely cited as evidence of the influence of authority on human behavior. It has generated reflection on the importance of resistance to blind obedience and the need to question authority in ethically questionable situations.
3. Harry Harlow's Rhesus Monkey Experiment
Psychologist Harry Harlow conducted a controversial experiment in the 1960s that involved separating baby rhesus monkeys from their mothers and raising them in isolation with two artificial attachment figures: one made of wire with a food source and another covered in soft cloth but without food. Harlow found that the monkeys preferred the soft attachment figure, challenging the then-prevailing theory that physical contact with the mother was less important than the provision of food.
Impact on understanding of the attachment
Harlow's experiment was fundamental to the understanding of attachment in childhood and how early relationships affect emotional development. However, it also raised serious ethical concerns about the welfare of animals used in psychological research.
4. Albert Bandura's Bobo Doll Experiment
In the 1960s, psychologist Albert Bandura conducted an experiment in which children watched an adult hit and abuse an inflatable doll called Bobo. After witnessing this aggressive behavior, the children imitated the same behavior when allowed to play with the doll. This study demonstrated social learning theory, which suggests that people learn new forms of behavior by observing others.
Imitation of aggression
The Bobo doll experiment has had a lasting impact on understanding how observing aggressive behavior can influence the behavior of people, especially children. It has highlighted the importance of modeling positive behaviors and discouraging violence in the media and society in general.
5. David Rosenhan's Obedience to Authority Experiment
In 1973, psychologist David Rosenhan conducted a study in which researchers showed up at psychiatric hospitals pretending to hear voices saying "emptiness." "hole" or "sound". Despite showing no further symptoms, all were diagnosed with mental disorders and admitted to hospital. This study shed light on the problems of psychiatric diagnosis and the tendency to mislabel people based on their behavior in certain situations.
Criticisms of the diagnostic system
The Rosenhan experiment questioned the reliability of psychiatric diagnoses and the objectivity of mental health professionals. It has led to greater awareness of the stigmatization of mental illness and the importance of a more understanding and humane approach in the field of psychiatry.
6. John B. Watson's Little Albert Conditioning Experiment
In the 1920s, psychologist John B. Watson conducted a controversial experiment known as Little Albert conditioning. Watson conditioned an 11-month-old boy known as Albert to fear a previously neutral object (a white rat) by associating it with a loud noise. The child developed a strong fear of the rat and generalized this fear to other similar objects. This study demonstrated how classical conditioning can influence people's emotional responses.
Ethics in research with children
Little Albert's experiment has been criticized for its lack of ethics by exposing a child to traumatic experiences without their consent and without considering the long-term consequences. It has highlighted the importance of protecting participants, especially children, in psychological research and respecting their dignity and well-being.
7. The Harriet Washington Psychiatric Hospital Experiment
Journalist Harriet Washington conducted an undercover investigation at a psychiatric hospital in the 1980s, where she went undercover posing as a patient. During his time at the hospital, Washington documented the mistreatment, neglect, and lack of adequate medical care that psychiatric patients received. Their work shed light on the inhumane conditions in which people with mental illness were kept and the need for urgent reforms in the mental health system.
Revealing institutional abuses
The Harriet Washington psychiatric hospital experiment exposed the abuse and neglect that often occurs in the mental health system. It fostered a public debate on the protection of the rights of psychiatric patients and the need to improve the quality of care in these settings.
8. Josef Mengele's twin experiment
One of the most horrendous experiments in the history of psychology was carried out by Nazi doctor Josef Mengele during World War II at the Auschwitz concentration camp. Mengele carried out atrocious experiments on Jewish twins, including surgeries without anesthesia, injections of toxic substances, and the induction of serious illnesses. These experiments constituted crimes against humanity and represented one of the worst ethical tragedies in the history of scientific research.
Horrors of the Holocaust
Josef Mengele's twin experiment represents the extreme cruelty and lack of respect for human life during the Nazi Holocaust. It has been a grim reminder of the dangers of experimentation without consent and the violation of human rights in the name of science.
9. The Iraq National Guard Prison Experiment
In 2004, extreme abuse and torture was revealed at the Iraq National Guard prison, Abu Ghraib, at the hands of American soldiers. The photographs and testimonies that came to light showed prisoners naked, hooded, subjected to humiliation and sexual abuse. This scandal generated outrage around the world and raised questions about human conduct in situations of power and the need for adequate supervision in detention environments.
Military Accountability and Ethics
The Abu Ghraib prison experiment demonstrated the devastating consequences of the lack of supervision and control in situations of armed conflict. He highlighted the importance of individual responsibility and military ethics in the treatment of prisoners of war and reinforced the need to protect human rights in all circumstances.
10. The Kitty Genovese Murder Experiment
In 1964, the murder of Kitty Genovese in New York sparked a debate about the phenomenon known as the bystander effect. Kitty Genovese was reportedly attacked and killed in the street while numerous witnesses witnessed the event, but none intervened or called the police. This incident led to research into people's apathy and lack of help in emergency situations, giving rise to the theory of diffusion of responsibility.
Individual responsibility and help
The murder of Kitty Genovese has been a chilling reminder of the dangers of passivity and apathy in emergency situations. It has raised public awareness about the importance of individual responsibility and the need to step in and offer help to those in need, rather than relying on someone else to act in their place.