Deception and Illusion in Milgram’s Accounts of the Obedience Experiments

Milgram’s obedience research is as renowned for its elaborate deception as it is for its startling results and subsequent ethical controversy. This paper argues that deception and illusion were used not just in the conduct of Milgram’s obedience experiments but in accounts of the research itself. It will demonstrate that the story of the obedience research presented by Milgram was constructed, crafted, shaped, and edited to portray a particular view of Milgram himself and his ethical practices. Through a comparison of published accounts, interviews with former subjects, and unpublished archival materials, significant discrepancies will be shown between Milgram’s accounts of his ethical practices in debriefing and follow-up of experimental subjects.