Milgram, Asch, and Zimbardo established the power of situations to override character

Evidence

SITUATIONS VERSUS PERSONALITY Stanley Milgram’s (1974) famous experiments on obedience provide a clear and highly relevant example. Men recruited through newspaper ads were maneuvered into being the Teacher in a supposed experiment on the effects of electric shock upon learning. Although the “Learner” (a Milgram confederate) never received any shocks, the situation was masterfully convincing. The Teachers had every reason to believe they were inflicting terrible pain on the Learner soon after the experiment began. By the end of the session, if the subjects did not stop it, they could easily have believed the next shock would kill the unconscious Learner, if he was not already dead. The point of the experiment was to see when subjects would defy their local authority, the Experimenter, and shock no more. — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 111 (#exemplifies, via linked claim)

Let me catch myself before I go off the deep end. I do believe that in many situations it matters a great deal who the people are. Different patterns of genes make a difference. So do different patterns of socialization. After all, Milgram’s subjects were in a strange environment (to put it mildly), interacting with strangers trained to say their lines whatever the subject did. Whereas we usually act in familiar settings with familiar people whose behavior we can affect. But the great lesson of social psychology has been how easily situations trump individual differences. Milgram’s experiment shows us that, and a great deal else very frightening. — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 116 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Milgram’s obedience studies show situations can override personal character. — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 111; Milgram subjects obeyed because legitimacy plus incremental momentum locked them into continuing — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 3939; Pragmatic implicature explains obedience in Milgram’s experiments — John T. Jost and Jim Sidanius, Political Psychology, 4045 (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Milgram’s obedience studies show situations can override personal character. #exemplifies (0.97) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 111
• Situations usually override individual personality differences in behavior. #corroborates (0.95) — Bob Altemeyer, The Authoritarian Specter, 116