Behind the Shock Machine: The Untold Story of the Notorious Milgram Psychology Experiments

Perry puts one of the 20th century’s most contentious psychological studies under a microscope in this truly shocking history of the Milgram “obedience experiments,” examining their origins, methodologies, aftermath, and criticisms. Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram’s 1961 series of tests showed that 65% of participants would, under various circumstances, willingly administer high-voltage shocks to other participants. The findings made waves in scientific circles and in popular culture, and were used to account for atrocities like the Holocaust by demonstrating the disturbing ease with which seemingly normal people could be impelled to commit cruel acts. Perry, herself a psychologist, focuses largely on the means by which these devastating conclusions were drawn; in constructing her case, she draws from her own interviews with participants and recorded dialogue from the experiments. These details, combined with her journalistic approach, make the book easily accessible to laypersons—yet it’s incisive enough to appeal to other psychologists as well. Perry’s palpably unfavorable opinion of Milgram may leave some readers doubting the objectivity of her project, but there’s still much rewarding and entertaining material here (her discussion about the scientific experiment as a form of theater is particularly interesting). No matter how shocking, it seems that the show must go on. (Sept.)