People sometimes act against their beliefs because of the influence of those around them. The impact of authority figures can also sway individuals, even to the point of engaging in dangerous and illegal activities. These phenomena became particularly poignant after World War II with the Holocaust, raising questions about the extent to which individuals participated in such atrocities simply by obeying orders.
Psychologists have conducted various experiments that have led to significant discoveries in understanding human nature. For instance, Milgram’s experiments revealed that individuals might comply with inflicting pain on others when instructed by an authority figure. Similarly, Zimbardo’s prison experiment demonstrated the rapid transformation of average individuals into oppressive figures when given authority.
Another lesser-known yet equally disturbing experiment was the Third Wave. It started as a straightforward school project but rapidly devolved into chaos, exemplifying the ease with which individuals can be swayed and the rapid proliferation of hateful ideologies.
The idea of a school teacher
In 1967, Ron Jones, a young history teacher in California, encountered a challenge. He struggled to explain to his students how the German populace could remain oblivious to the Holocaust and why they supported the Nazi regime. Despite his efforts, the students simply couldn’t grasp it.
Jones then had a novel idea. “What if I demonstrate it to them?” he thought. He decided to simulate a “fascist” movement within his classroom, allowing students to directly experience the ease with which one can fall prey to group pressure and propaganda. He named this experiment “The Third Wave.”
Conceived as a brief, weeklong exercise, The Third Wave was intended to deepen students’ understanding of history. Jones developed a basic framework that included discipline, community, and action, complete with a unique greeting and slogan. However, neither he nor his students anticipated the ultimate impact of the project.
From discipline to fanaticism
Monday highlighted the power of discipline. Jones began with a simple directive: he instructed the students to sit “at attention” in class, akin to soldiers, to enhance their focus. Subsequently, he issued a series of commands—stand up, sit down, exit the room, re-enter—all executed in a precise sequence and with utmost speed.
Much to Jones’s astonishment, the students reveled in the exercise. They eagerly complied with his instructions, sensing their involvement in something greater than the confines of a classroom. Remarkably, even the typically subdued and reticent students emerged as engaged and orderly participants.
Tuesday marked the emphasis on community power. Building on previous success, Jones introduced a slogan: “Strength in Discipline, Strength in Community,” which he had the students recite together. He also demonstrated a salute—a raised, bent right arm—and named it the “Third Wave salute.”
The choice of “Third Wave” was intentional. Jones informed his students that the third wave in a sequence hitting the shore is typically the strongest and most impactful. Accordingly, their movement was to become a formidable force with the potential to change the world.
The students eagerly embraced the new moniker and salute. They started using it beyond the classroom, acknowledging each other with it on the streets and throughout the school corridors. The Wave evolved into a sign of their membership in an exclusive collective.
Wednesday became the catalyst for action. By this day, the Third Wave’s influence had permeated the school. Thirteen additional students, eager to join, were recruited by Jones’ class. To underscore their elite status, Jones issued “membership cards” to all.
The movement’s ranks swelled to nearly 50. Jones tasked the students with creating a Third Wave banner, educating younger students on the value of discipline, and seeking out new, “qualified” members for the initiative.
By Thursday, The Wave had escalated into a sensation. Members flaunted their cards, zealously enforced the rules, denounced dissenters, and sought further recruits. Robert, a large, underperforming student, appointed himself as Jones’s protector, shadowing him throughout the campus.
Witnessing The Wave’s rapid escalation, Jones opted to expedite the experiment’s conclusion. He assembled 80 students, revealing their involvement in a purported national youth movement poised to revolutionize the nation’s political landscape.
Jones said hundreds of Third Wave chapters have already been established in other cities, and that the movement’s leader will appear on television on Friday to announce his candidacy for president.
Peak of the Wave
Friday marked a pivotal moment. By noon, over 200 students had convened in Mr. Jones’s classroom. The crowd was not limited to those initially involved in the experiment; it also included members of diverse youth subcultures who had shown little interest in school affairs before.
The atmosphere was charged with tension, palpable enough to slice through. The crowd awaited the Third Wave leader’s address with bated breath. Jones flicked on the television, yet the screen remained blank.
Perplexity etched the students’ faces as Jones revealed the truth: there was no movement. It was merely an experiment to demonstrate the ease of manipulation and the rapid spread of perilous ideologies.
Jones elucidated that the students’ conduct mirrored that of the Germans during the 1930s. They believed themselves to be the chosen ones, part of a grand scheme, but were merely marionettes dancing to a puppeteer’s tune. They had started to view themselves as superior to non-members of the Third Wave, ready to betray and even resort to violence against them.
To drive the point home, Jones presented newsreels of the Third Reich to the students: scenes of military marches, book conflagrations, and internment camps. Following this, he illuminated the room.
An eerie hush fell over the classroom. The students sat in stunned silence, grappling with the realization that they had been unwitting subjects of such an experiment, that they had fallen prey to influence with such ease. And Robert, the appointed “bodyguard” of Jones, wept inconsolably.
“The Third Wave” – a trace in history and culture
Ron Jones remained silent about his experiment for many years. Similarly, the students, embarrassed by their involvement in “The Wave,” chose silence as well. However, an unexpected encounter with a former student prompted Jones to reconsider the events.
One day, a young man approached him on the street, exclaiming with joy, “Mr. Jones, Mr. Jones!” At first, Jones did not recognize him.
The young man, perceiving Jones’ puzzled expression, smiled and slowly lifted his hand to his shoulder, performing the Third Wave salute.
“Mr. Jones, do you recall the Third Wave?” he inquired.
Indeed, Jones remembered. It was among the most profound and distressing lessons of his life. Acknowledging the significance of those events, Jones chose to share his experience. He authored an article that was published in the late 1970s. The narrative of the “Third Wave” resonated deeply with society and influenced culture and the arts.
In 1981, a film titled The Wave was produced, inspired by this experiment. Subsequently, a book bearing the same title was penned by Todd Strasser, using the pseudonym Morton Rhue. In 2008, German filmmaker Dennis Gansel released a movie called Die Welle (The Wave Experiment), set in a contemporary German school.
