Well known experiment of Stanley Milgram and multi-level marketing practices
In his most famous experiment
Stanley Milgram proved that due to the obedience of authority, many people perform (act) in a ways that are in
contradiction with their personal conscience. In the setting of his experimental
testing subjects were asked to punish other person sitting behind the wall for
wrong quiz answer by electric shocks. Two thirds of the persons in the testing
group were willing to use a power shocks up to 450 volts though of a moaning and
painful scream of the punished persons. In the case of objection rising and
complains about the legitimacy of this procedure, they were verbally pushed into
the experiment continuing – vast majority of them did continue.
What is a parallel between this
famous experiment and MLM practices? Based on my personal experience many young
“managers” in MLM structures are not convinced about the superior quality and
uniqueness of product they offer. Many of them are even aware of the fact that
their goods are not beneficial for clients at all. These young “managers” then
approach to their superiors with doubtful question: how should I sell this
product? The answer is usually easy to presume. “Our product is great, so go
ahead and sell as much as you can and maybe you become one of the selected ones
whose name will appear in the week top results summary and if lucky enough you
will be awarded as a best-salesman of the month. You heard, the best one will
be send to the gorgeous vacation to Greece, didn’t you?” This is a usual way,
how to treat some question about the source of client’s benefits and indicated
uncertainty.
Miligram’s experiment shed light
on the other aspect of MLM as well. In the setting of his survey no significant
differences among different groups – poor, rich, uneducated, university
students, woman, mans were observed. Quite often an argument justifying MLM’s
poor quality products and services using and argument about high proliferation
of university educated “professionals” in these networks can be heard. However
as Milligram has proved, this doesn’t play any important role – no matter which
group you belong to, the effect of conformism
and obedience can be applied.
I am sure, similar effect could
be found in many different kind of organization and companies and we are facing
it, in some less evident form, every day. Only one way, how to avoid this kind
of manipulation and subconscious behavior is to be clear and confident about
own values and principles.
Milgram, S. (1963). Behavioral study of
obedience. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 67(4), 371-378.