The Role of Suggestion in Milgram's Experiment

 
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Abstract

The journal "Social Psychology and Society" published an article by V.N. Pavlenko "S. Milgram's Experiment through the Prism of Historical Psychology" ("Social Psychology and Society", 2019. Vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 5–18), in which the author proposed an interpretation of this experiment from the standpoint of two theories, including B.F. Porshnev's theory of suggestion. In response to this article, the journal published critical notes by N.I. Semechkin "S. Milgram's Experiment: Is It Worth Multiplying Entities?" (“Social Psychology and Society”, 2020. Vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 211–217). These notes are a continuation of discussion. They contain comments and additions regarding the article by V.N. Pavlenko and objections to the statements by N.I. Semechkin.

General Information

Keywords: Milgram experiment; suggestion; second signal system; natural language; regulation of individual behavior; self-preservation of the group

Journal rubric: Discussions and Disputations

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OpenAlex trends: Psychology of Social Influence, Emotions and Moral Behavior, Academic and Historical Perspectives in Psychology

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Number of citations: 0

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Academic and Historical Perspectives in Psychology

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Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/sps.2025160112

Received 05.12.2024

Accepted

Published

For citation: Subbotina, N.D. (2025). The Role of Suggestion in Milgram's Experiment. Social Psychology and Society, 16(1), 212–221. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/sps.2025160112

© Subbotina N.D., 2025

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

References

  1. Vnushenie [Suggestion]. Bol'shaya Rossiiskaya entsiklopediya2004–2007 [The Great Russian Encyclopedia 2004–2007]. URL: https://old.bigenc.ru/psychology/text/1920943 (Accessed 12.2024). (In Russ.).
  2. Vnushenie [Suggestion]. Psikhologicheskii slovar' «PLANEYA» [Psychological dictionary "PLANEA"]. URL: http://planey.ru/dic/v/v_25.htm (Accessed 12.2024). (In Russ.).
  3. Pavlenko V.N. Eksperiment S. Milgrema skvoz’ prizmu istoricheskoi psikhologii [Milgram’s experiment through the lens of historical psychology]. Sotsial’naya psikhologiya i obshchestvo = Social Psychology and Society, 2019. Vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 5–18. DOI:10.17759/sps.2019100301 (In Russ.).
  4. Porshnev B. O nachale chelovecheskoi istorii [On the beginning of human history]. Moscow: Publ. Mysl', 1974. 487 р. (In Russ.).
  5. Semechkin N.I. Eksperiment S. Milgrehma: stoit li umnozhat' sushchnosti? Zametki po povodu stat'i V.N. Pavlenko «Eksperiment S. Milgrehma skvoz' prizmu istoricheskoi psikhologii» (Sotsial'naya psikhologiya i obshchestvo) [Milgram’s experiment: Is it worth to multiply the entities? Notes about the article V.N. Pavlenko “S. Milgram’s experiment through the lens of historical psychology” (Social psychology and society), 2019. Vol. 10, no. 3, рр. 5–18)]. Sotsial’naya psikhologiya i obshchestvo = Social Psychology and Society, Vol. 11, no. 3, pp. 211–217. DOI:10.17759/sps.2020110314 (In Russ.).
  6. Subbotina N.D. Sotsial'no-filosofskii analiz kontrsuggestii [Social and philosophical analysis of counter-suggestion]. Gumanitarnyi vektor = Humanitarian vector, 2008, n 4(16), pp. 8–19. (In Russ.).
  7. Subbotina N. Suggestiya i kontrsuggestiya v obshchestve [Suggestion and counter-suggestion in society]. Moscow: Publ. KomKniga, 2006. 208 p. (In Russ.).
  8. Michael R.B., Garry M., Kirsc L. Suggestion, Cognition, and Behavior. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2012, no. 21(3), pp. 151–156. DOI:1177/0963721412446369
  9. Milgram S. Behavioral Study of Obedience. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1963. Vol. 67, no. 4, pp. 371–378. URL: https://www.demenzemedicinagenerale.net/pdf/MilgramOriginalWork.pdf (Accessed 12.12.2024)
  10. APA Dictionary of Psychology. URL: https://dictionary.apa.org/suggestion (Accessed 12.12.2024).
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  13. The Cambridge English Dictionary. URL: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/suggestion?q=Suggestion (Accessed 15.12.2024).

 

Information About the Authors

Nadezda D. Subbotina, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor, Professor of Department of Philosophy, Transbaikal State University, Chita, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3251-4076, e-mail: dialectica@yandex.ru

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