Applying Psychology to Real World Issues
Abu Ghraib prison was based in Iraq after the 2003 Iraq war. American armed forces were in charge of the prison where soldiers acted as prison guards over the Iraqi prisoners. After a few years, the sadistic torture of the prisoners became known to the world after Manadel Al-Jamadi was murdered whilst being interrogated. Images were published of the humiliation and assault the prisoners had experienced under the rule of the American soldiers. This involved the soldiers pouring phosphoric acid on detainees, sodomising them with batons, having venomous snakes bite them, shooting them for minor misbehaviours and in one known case, inflicting pain on unhealed gunshot wounds with such force that it could not heal properly afterwards.
In 2005, eight soldiers were taken to court accused of dereliction of duty, maltreatment, aggravated assault, battery, indecent assault, torture and prisoner abuse. Charles Graner was identified as the ‘ringleader’ of the gang of soldiers who inflicted the abuse. He was sentenced to thirteen years in prison. In court, he stated that he was ‘following orders from, and supervised by intelligence officers.’ This shows the psychological process of obedience to authority which was also identified in the findings of Milgram’s train experiment. When a lone man asked individuals for their seat, 50% obeyed. When the man was with an authority figure, every individual asked gave up their seat resulting in 100% obedience. Obeying authority’s orders was also used as defence by Lynndie Rana England (‘...instructed by persons in higher ranks...’) and Sabrina Harman (‘...her military police unit took direction from the military intelligence officers in charge of the facility...’).
