Methods of behavioral persuasion have been in existence for millennia, but it was in 1963 that Stanley Milgram’s studies on obedience shocked the world when the results of his experiments, begun as an attempt to understand how people were persuaded to such excesses during the Nazi regime, showed that “Approximately two-thirds of normal people are willing to follow an authority’s orders to administer lethal levels of electric shock” (Heimes, 1998, 4).
During his studies, it appeared to Milgram that if an individual is detached from the consequences of their actions, the possibility for abuse is greater than if they directly experience the effects of their abuse. In other words, if a person does not have to administer the abuse directly, the more likely he or she will be to abuse. Detachment theory argues that if an individual is detached from the effects of administering abuse, the more likely they will be to abuse (Hinman, 1998, 4).
Milgram’s studies on obedience to authority helped pave the way for understanding the relationship between punisher and punished. If the punisher is removed or detached from the punished, the chances are greater the punisher will administer lethal abuse. In my particular experience, by volunteering at the state prison I was able to witness the theories of Milgram on detachment and abuse firsthand. The prison had recently adopted the use of Stun Belts to control inmate behavior. The use of the Stun Belts is nonlethal but causes significant pain to the wearer. Advocates of the Stun Belts argue they are a safe, effective means of controlling inmate behavior. Proponents argue they are inhumane devices approaching torture, and, more significantly, many argue they will lead to an increase abuse because of the fact that those who administer the shock to the wearer are detached from the individual. This analysis will use my experience and Milgram’s studies to demonstrate why the use of ...