What significant observation was noted about participants during Milgram's experiment?

In Milgram's experiment, a significant observation was that participants displayed visible stress and tension while carrying out their roles as teachers administering shocks to the learners. This stress manifested through various physical signs such as sweating, shaking, and nervous laughter, indicating that even as they followed the experimenter's instructions to increase the shock voltage, they experienced significant emotional and psychological conflict.

This finding underscores the concept of cognitive dissonance, where participants struggled between obeying authority and their moral beliefs about causing harm to another person. The high levels of stress highlighted the ethical concerns surrounding the experiment, as it demonstrated the psychological impact of participating in an activity that conflicts with one’s personal values. This observation is integral to understanding human behavior and the influence of authority in situations of moral conflict.