Authority Bias

We trust and obey authority figures — even when they are demonstrably wrong — simply because of their title, uniform, or perceived status.

• In Milgram's experiments, ordinary people administered what they believed were dangerous electric shocks simply because a man in a white coat instructed them to.
• Patients rarely question doctors' diagnoses, even when a second opinion would be medically prudent.
• Co-pilots in aircraft have failed to correct a captain's clear navigational errors out of deference to authority — causing crashes.