The Three Christs of Ypsilanti Experiment

# Stuff You Should Know - The Three Christs of Ypsilanti

In this fascinating and deeply troubling episode, Josh and Chuck dive into one of psychology's most ethically questionable experiments: Milton Rokeach's 1960s study where he deliberately brought together three psychiatric patients who each believed they were Jesus Christ to see if confronting one another would shake them out of their delusions. What starts as a seemingly intriguing premise quickly spirals into a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked scientific ambition and institutional vulnerability, as Rokeach escalates from simple group meetings to increasingly manipulative psychological tactics that cause real harm to vulnerable men who had done nothing to deserve it.