Milgram discovered that normal people would administer seemingly fatal electric shocks to others when instructions to do so were given by a person perceived as an authority figure.

• A. They would feel guilty and stop the experiment
• B. They would seek to disobey
• C. They would administer potentially lethal shocks
• D. They would terminate participation to avoid harm

Answer: (C)

Obedience to an authority figure is the focus here, showing how legitimate authority can override personal morals. In Milgram’s experiments, ordinary people were willing to deliver what they believed were dangerous or potentially lethal shocks to another person simply because an authoritative figure in a lab coat instructed them to continue. The strongest takeaway is that a large share of participants complied with the command to administer increasingly severe shocks, despite their distress and concern for the learner, highlighting how authority and the situation can drive harmful actions. This is why the statement that they would administer potentially lethal shocks best fits what Milgram found. Some participants did protest or refuse, and not everyone complied, but the notable pattern was sustained obedience to the authority’s instructions.