Obedience

Obedience. That some people readily follow direction from their superiors, even when this challenges what they consider is right action, has been a source of puzzlement for half a century. Obedience literature emphasizes that legitimate authority is a powerful and compelling force. This is particularly evident in Milgram s (1963, 1974) famous experiments where participants systematically shocked a helpless victim at the bidding of an experimenter. Asch (1951, 1955, 1956) also showed conformity in his line judgment task in which one in three participants yielded to group pressure. This book reports a series of experiments that illustrate man's natural predilection towards obedience, even when results may conflict with what is known to be right or wrong. Findings are consistent with the view that the majority of subordinates have as their first duty an obligation of obedience to instruction from superiors. This raises the question of how far it is possible for an employee to work as an autonomous practitioner within a hierarchical structure. In the absence of a feedback system, innovative thinking and talent may be overlooked.