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How did the learner respond as shock levels increased in the Milgram experiment?

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Stanley Milgram American social psychologist Stanley Milgram with the “shock generator” used in his famous experiment at Yale University in the 1960s.

In the Milgram experiment, the "learner"—who was actually an actor—followed a script of pre-recorded responses that intensified as the shock levels increased.12

As the voltage rose, the learner’s reactions progressed through several stages:
* Initial responses: Ranged from simple grunts of pain.1
* Escalation: The learner began screaming and pleading with the participant to stop.12
* Distress: The learner would bang on the wall and complain about a fictitious heart condition.12
* Final stage: The learner eventually fell into dead silence.1

These responses were designed to test the "teacher's" willingness to continue administering shocks under the direction of an authority figure. It is important to note that the deception and the extreme psychological stress placed on the participants are widely considered unethical by modern scientific standards.12