Meanwhile, total strangers began accusing Delgado of secretly implanting stimoceivers into their brains and controlling their thoughts. ![]() They suggested that, rather than quelling Lucero’s aggression, Delgado had simply confused the bull by shocking his brain and prompting him to give up his attack. The demonstration was hailed as a success on the front page of The New York Times, but some neuroscientists were skeptical. He tapped his remote control again, and the bull started wandering in circles. When Lucero barreled towards him, Delgado tapped his remote control and brought the animal to a screeching halt. In 1965, Delgado entered the ring with a fighting bull named Lucero-a ferocious animal famous for his temper. He began by implanting stimoceivers into several bulls and testing the equipment by making them lift their legs, turn their heads, walk in circles, and moo 100 times in a row. Delgado gave the remote control to the monkey’s cage mate, who quickly figured out that pressing the button calmed down his hotheaded friend.ĭelgado’s next challenge was to experiment with bulls in Spain. In one experiment, he implanted a stimoceiver into a hostile monkey. He was particularly interested in managing anger. Delgado envisioned the technology eventually leading to a “psychocivilized society,” in which everyone could temper their self-destructive tendencies at the press of a button.įor several years, Delgado experimented on monkeys and cats, making them yawn, fight, play, mate, and sleep-all by remote control. But Delgado took this science to a new level when he developed the “stimoceiver.” The chip, which was about the size of a quarter, could be inserted inside a patient’s head and operated by remote control. The goal was to change the patient’s mental state, perking up the depressed and calming the agitated. ![]() Then, they’d send electrical surges to different parts of the brain, sparking emotions and triggering movements in the body. Here’s how it worked: First, the researchers would implant tiny wires and electrodes into the skull. The Yale University neurophysiologist was no bullfighter, but he had a plan: to control the bull’s mind.ĭelgado was among a small group of researchers developing a new type of electroshock therapy. Jose Delgado stepped into a bullring in Cordova, Spain, with a 550-lb. Twenty years later, he renounced his methods, writing, “I really had no right, even in the name of science, to play God and interfere around the clock with their daily lives.” 2. In fact, Rokeach concluded that their Jesus identities may have become more embedded after being confronted with other Christs. He was on the verge of divorcing his fantasy spouse when Rokeach finally dropped that part of the experiment.Īt the end of their two-year stay, each man still believed he was the one and only son of God. But when the Yeti Woman asked him to change his name, Leon felt as though his identity was being challenged. Leon was so touched by the attention from his make-believe wife that he broke into tears upon receiving the letters. They contained instructions, requesting that Leon sing “Onward Christian Soldiers” during group meetings and smoke a certain brand of cigarettes. So, Rokeach wrote love letters to Leon from Madame Yeti Woman. descendant of an Indian and a jerboa rat. For example, one of the Christs, Leon, believed he was married to a person he called Madame Yeti Woman, a 7-ft.-tall, 200-lb. Far stranger was the way Rokeach tried to manipulate his subjects.Īs part of the experiment, the psychologist wanted to see just how entrenched each man’s delusions were. Another rationalized the presence of his companions by claiming that they were dead and being operated by machines.īut the behavior of the schizophrenics isn’t even the most bizarre part. ![]() One believed, correctly, that the other two were mental patients. ![]() Eventually, however, they each explained away their conflicting identities. Unable to turn the other cheek, the three Christs often argued until punches were thrown. According to Rokeach, one Christ yelled, “You oughta worship me!” To which another responded, “I will not worship you! You’re a creature! You better live your own life and wake up to the facts!” At first, the three men quarreled constantly over who was holier. Rokeach hoped the Christs would give up their delusional identities after confronting others who claimed to be the same person. So, he gathered three patients, all of whom identified themselves as Jesus Christ, and made them live together in the same mental hospital in Michigan for two years. In 1959, social psychologist Milton Rokeach wanted to test the strength of self-delusion. It wasn’t long before they stopped being polite and started getting real crazy. This is the true story of three schizophrenics, who all believed they were Jesus Christ.
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