8 Shockingly Unethical Experiments That Actually Happened

8. Robbers Cave Experiments

If you've ever read Lord of the Flies, you'll be aware of the kind of chaos a group of boys can descend into if left unattended ... or indeed, if provoked.

The Robbers Cave Experiments gathered 22 6th grade boys from 22 different schools, split them into two groups (the Eagles and the Rattlers) and sent them off to a remote summer camp. Initially, the two groups were unaware of each other's presence, but the "camp counsellors" - who were in fact mad scientists in disguise - intended to slowly introduce them to one another over the course of three weeks.

Oh, and no one but the scientists knew this was a social experiment.

The rivalry between the groups escalated quickly, resulting in repeated raids on one another's camps, stealing, the burning of each others' flags, and one of the groups even fashioning makeshift weapons by putting rocks in socks. Hostilities grew between the groups and verbal abuse was guaranteed when they came near one another.

Towards the end of the week, the experimenters cut off the boys' water supply by blocking it up, just to see what would happen. Amazingly, the two groups came together to try to fix the problem, and the Rattlers even let the Eagles take first go at the newly fixed pump, as they had water canteens and the Eagles didn't.

The experiment was supposed to recreate the dynamics between hunter gatherer groups, supporting the realistic conflict theory, and the natural instinct for tribalism in the face of scarce resources.