Contestants turn torturers in French TV experiment

Contestants turn torturers in French TV experiment

news.yahoo.com

Game show contestants turn torturers in a new psychological experiment for French television, zapping a man with electricity until he cries for mercy -- then zapping him again until he seems to drop dead.

"The Game of Death" has all the trappings of a traditional television quiz show, with a roaring crowd and a glamorous and well-known hostess urging the players on under gaudy studio lights.

But the contestants did not know they were taking part in a TV experiment.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is totally crazy, and proves that a majority of people cannot think for themselves, even if the consequences of not doing so are dire.
It is interesting that one of the participants had grandparents that were Jewish, and had been in concentration camps and still could not find the courage to say no.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Certainly an interesting experiment, sounds like the researchers got what they were after as well. Still it could be a good documentary to keep an eye out for.

The lure of fame can turn people into monsters.

I don't think it's the fame, just pressure.

I expect many of our own ATS members would be no different despite claims to the contrary.

reply to post by Goathief


I agree, you can say you wouldn't do it all you want, but you don't know for sure until you're put in that position. I just hope I never have to find out for myself.

I look forward to this show plus now that i have HDTV that'll be a hell of a night!

Can't say I'm suprised. People are sheep. Should be a great documentary. Does anyone know the name of it?

Just reread the article but not 100% if the documentary is called the game of death or if that was just the name of the game show

I don't know how to post the link so go to spoof game show shocks france on youtube

reply to post by neechi


I think that was just the name of the show. I'm not sure what the Doc is going to be called, but i'll update this if I find any new info.

reply to post by smashing31


Cool appreciate it

www.youtube.com...

Here is the link on YouTube

Can I just point out that there is nothing new about the concepts behind this television show?

It's called the Milgram Experiment

The Milgram's experiment on obedience to authority figures was a series of social psychology experiments conducted by Yale University psychologist Stanley Milgram, which measured the willingness of study participants to obey an authority figure who instructed them to perform acts that conflicted with their personal conscience.

The experimenter (E) orders the teacher (T), the subject of the experiment, to give what the latter believes are painful electric shocks to a learner (L), who is actually an actor and confederate.

Link: Milgram Experiment

[edit on 17/3/10 by Death_Kron]

I know i've heard of several experiments simillar to this, it's still an interesting concept though. I hear people all the time ask how Germans let Hitler do the things he did, but expirements like this show that it could happen anywhere.

ahahah i was about to say! this is a really famous experimenter that is still widely taught. Its Milgrams experiments.

Intended to be used in post nazi germany, the study was tested in america first and it was found that it was just as effective here. The implications are that any population can be made to do immoral things when directed to by an authority figure.

It is directly related to the Eikmann trial. Where he denied any responsibility, just like many senior nazi officers. When everyone is being told by someone to do what their doing, responsability is so diffused among the pack that everyone can point the finger at someone else.

These experiments give credence to that view. Not that we should excuse Nazis

Most people thought they would only go to 40v or something, but something like 90% of subjects went all the way when the only thing the scientist said was

...please continue
then
...You must continue, it is for the good of the experiment
...
and i forget the rest, but it really isnt any more then someone firmly telling you to continue.

[edit on 17-3-2010 by SPACEYstranger]

reply to post by SPACEYstranger


Beat you to it

But yeah, its a fascinating experiment in my opinion.

It really makes you think about who we would be if we were devoid of outside influences. I like to think that I am true to myself, and somewhat original, but if a majority of the people can be influenced to do something so terrible, what things are we being influnced to do on a smaller scale everyday! It makes you think that maybe we really are not ourselves at all, but just a conglomeration of various influences!

Originally posted by smashing31


This is totally crazy, and proves that a majority of people cannot think for themselves, even if the consequences of not doing so are dire.
It is interesting that one of the participants had grandparents that were Jewish, and had been in concentration camps and still could not find the courage to say no.

news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

That's a religion of a grand parent you cannot use that in an argument of the grand child. You cannot blame the grandchild for being this or that which is in the isms section.

That's like saying the mixed coloured grandparent was used for slavery and yet the grandchild is white and still punishing the mixed coloured in slavery. What that person did for their crimes is totally unacceptable and yet merely has nothing to do with their past relatives religion.

What happened in the past is the past people need to stop blaming others for the past. It is no excuse and this person who committed that crime of torture shall have their own consequence's for every thought/action/choice that was made in the matter from that individual.

I was going to mention the Milgram experiment too. It's funny this experiment was even done because ones like the Milgram were what convinced psychological associations to develop stricter ethics committees to prevent traumatic experiments like this from being done unnecessarily.

I'm really curious to read the paper that comes out of this, if indeed it's an actual piece of research. They'll have to be really saying something new and interesting for them to have gotten approval on this, assuming it's not just some TV stunt.

Milgram's was all about how people can do absolutely evil things if they're convinced that the burden of responsibility is diverted from themselves onto an authority figure, which was the experimenter. In this case, I can imagine a similar situation, where the producer of the show would play the bearer of responsibility.

The only thing that could make for an interesting difference is the environment itself. They might be trying to make some claims about the environment of a TV game show, where you're being cheered on, that there is somewhat of a group think effect going on where you're the focus of attention.

reply to post by DClairvoyant


Ummm, that's not at all what I was saying. Wow, sounds like someone is looking for an argument. The woman herself said that she can't believe that, being aware of the abuse her family had suffered due to this very idea, that she would go through with something so simillar. Check the facts before you start your rampage!