Episode number 19 of Series “Discovering psychology”.
This program looks at the ways in which people are influenced by leaders, groups and society - at social psychology. Psychological experiments by Lewin and Milgram, inspired by the extreme cruelty of the Nazi regime, suggest that, given the same circumstances, a powerful leader, peer group pressure, an extraordinary situation, everyone is capable of the same extremes of good or evil behaviour. Once the situation no longer exists we return to our “normal” selves. Archival film of these experiments is included.