Final answer:
In Milgram's experiment, subjects were more willing to commit inhumane acts due to a strong influence of C) obedience to authority, which is the correct answer to the student's question. Milgram's studies show how authority figures can significantly impact individual behavior, with variations in the experiment illustrating the factors affecting obedience levels.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Milgram's experiment, subjects who gave large shocks rationalized that they were not personally responsible for their actions. This raises questions about our willingness to commit inhumane acts as a result of obedience to authority. The correct answer to the question is therefore (C) Obedience to authority.
Stanley Milgram's research at Yale University illuminated this subject profoundly. His studies in the 1960s demonstrated that a significant majority of participants were willing to administer what they believed to be increasingly harmful electric shocks to others, so long as the instructions came from an authoritative figure. These findings are a stark reminder of the powerful role that authority plays in shaping behavior.
Moreover, variations of the Milgram experiment revealed that obedience levels decreased when the perceived authority of the experimenter was weakened or when the humanity of the learner (recipient of the shocks) was emphasized. These findings point to the complexity of factors that influence obedience to authority.