From the CIA’s secret mind control program, MK Ultra, to the stuttering “Monster” study, American researchers have a long history of engaging in human experiments. The studies have helped us better understand ourselves and why we do certain things.
These four experiments did just this and helped us better understand human behavior. However, some of them would be considered unethical today due to either lack of informed consent or the mental and/or emotional damage they caused.
After proposing the concept of cognitive dissonance, psychologist Leon Festinger created an experiment to test his theory that was also known as the boring experiment.
Participants were paid either $1 or $20 to engage in mundane tasks, including turning pegs on a board and moving spools on and off a tray. Despite the boring nature of the activities, they were asked to tell the next participant that it was interesting and fun.
The people ...
