Sixty five percent of the participants administered the final shock--which was 450 volts. Every single one of them administered shocks of at least 300 volts. Every participant paused the experiment at least once to question it--but most of them continued after being assured by the experimenter. Essentially, most people are willing to go to almost any length on command--and ordinary people who simply want to get by, who don't have any particular hostility toward one another, can become active, willing participants in destructive processes. Very few people have the power to withstand authority psychologically--many of the "teachers" experienced side effects ranging from sweating and trembling to full on seizures.