The Monkey, Banana, and Ladder Experiment

It is a story that many of us have heard in conversations about the acceptance of the rules by the masses.

A seemingly simple experiment, with a small group of monkeys that are in a cage and a few bananas that they might try to reach.

The Monkey, Ladder, and Banana Experiment

As in almost all research that studies the behavior of animals, the experiment begins with a cage. Inside it, 5 healthy monkeys are placed and, in the center of the cabin, a ladder with bananas at its highest point.

As is predictable, it doesn't take long for the monkeys to start climbing the ladder to reach the food. However, their plan is interrupted each time by an unpleasant surprise: each time a monkey climbs the steps, the researchers spray the other primates with cold water.

This turns each attempt to access the bananas into a major reprimand from the monkeys towards the individual who tries: screaming, hitting, biting... anything goes to make no one else have a similar occurrence. These practices were quite effective:

after a while, no monkey tried to pick the bananas, despite the temptation to eat them. But the interesting thing about the example comes later.

Introducing some changes

At this point, the researchers remove one monkey from the cage and put another in its place. This "novice" sees the bananas on top of the ladder and, as he has not been able to keep up to date with what happens to those who try to do something, yes, he receives the blows and the cries of the others: the afraid ice water is still present. This monkey does not understand the reason for this punishment, since he has not seen the cold water fall, but after a few tries he just concludes that reaching for the bananas is not a good idea.

Once this is done, the researchers replace another of the monkeys with a new one. This newcomer does the same as the first when he sees the bananas and the ladder, and the response of the rest is the same: punishment. However, this time the first rookie monkey also participates in the reprimand.

From that point on, the researchers replace all the monkeys until none of the 5 monkeys that remain in the cage have witnessed the icy water fall. When someone tries to climb the ladder, these animals continue to react with the same violence as the five monkeys in the beginning.

The fable of obedience to the rules

This story is about conducting an experiment, but despite the fact that its setting has to do with what occurs in some psychology and zoology laboratories, this research does not exist as such: it has not been carried out and, therefore so much, there is no conclusion with scientific value that can be drawn from it.

However, that does not mean that the story has no value as a fable. And it is that the story of the monkeys, the bananas and the ladder is an example of blind obedience to rules by a group.

The first five monkeys had an objective rationale for not wanting anyone to climb the ladder: every time they did, they were punished. However, the other monkeys obeyed the rules without having any reason to do so. And not only did they obey them, they perpetuated them through their behavior. The rule of the prohibition of climbing the ladder, despite its absurdity, had come to form part of their lives, to the point where they spent time and effort to keep it going existing. Can the same thing happen with the norms that we humans choose to reproduce through our actions?