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Obedience01:08

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Obeying Authority: Should We Trust Them or Not?

Daniel Walker1

  • 1Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, United Kingdom. walkerd@edgehill.ac.uk.

Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science
|April 22, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Investigating obedience research reveals hidden motives, propaganda, and emotional ties influencing scientific methods. A critical approach is needed to discern science from pseudoscience, especially concerning societal issues like climate change.

Keywords:
AuthorityGeneral Demarcation ProblemObediencePower-knowledge

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • History of Science

Background:

  • Research on obedience to authority is historically influenced by propaganda and power dynamics.
  • Emotional ties and personal histories can affect researchers' motives and methodologies.
  • Historical examples include political figures advocating obedience and religious institutions censoring scientific views.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically examine the historical research into obedience to authority.
  • To identify the presence of propaganda, power-knowledge, and emotional influences in scientific inquiry.
  • To explore the challenges in distinguishing science from pseudoscience, particularly in sensitive research areas.

Main Methods:

  • Historical analysis of published works and institutional practices.
  • Examination of research methodologies, including observational techniques and their replicability.
  • Case studies of influential figures and their research contexts.

Main Results:

  • Ulterior motives and biases are evident in historical research on obedience.
  • Methodological limitations, such as lack of replicability, were present in foundational studies.
  • Personal histories, like Milgram's connection to the Holocaust, add complexity to interpreting research findings.

Conclusions:

  • The General Demarcation Problem makes distinguishing science from pseudoscience challenging.
  • A critical evaluation of researchers' backgrounds and the beneficiaries of research is essential.
  • This critical perspective is vital in an era of widespread rejection of scientific consensus on critical issues like climate change and public health.