Final answer:
The Milgram and Zimbardo experiments provided evidence of the tremendous power of authority, demonstrating that people can be driven to act against their morals when directed by an authority figure or when conforming to assigned social roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Milgram experiment and the Zimbardo experiment have both provided scientific evidence of the tremendous power of authority. Stanley Milgram's research at Yale University showed that nearly two-thirds of participants were willing to administer what they believed to be lethal shocks to another person, simply because they were instructed to do so by an authority figure. Similarly, Philip Zimbardo's Stanford prison experiment highlighted how quickly and intensely individuals conformed to assigned roles and the social norms within a prison setting, with guards acting in ways that were harsh and dehumanizing towards prisoners.
Both studies raised severe ethical issues because of the psychological distress caused to the participants, deception involved, and the permanent psychological effects that could have arisen from such encounters. Despite their controversial nature, these experiments are critical in understanding how ordinary people can commit acts they would not normally consider, under the influence of an authority figure or within certain social roles.
In answering the question provided by the student, the experiments showed: 1) the tremendous power of authority.