Stanley Milgram experiment-results indicative of social anxiety?

[chrisjurban]

In Milgram's 1960s experiment, the majority of people ended up administering "fatal" shocks. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment> It seems to me like people's submissive responses to authority in this situation is a result of the fight or flight response (maybe the freeze response in particular), which is the source of social anxiety. Any thoughts?

 

[aftermidnight]

Not sure I see the connection between "submissive responses to authority" and "fight or flight response." The submissive responses to authority probably have a lot to do with people trying to be logically consistent (they agreed to shocking the person) and trying not to displease the person they respect (the researcher). It's human nature to follow the words of a supposed expert when we're uncertain. At the very least, it is comforting to know that the decision was not really ours but also the authority figure's.