New Haven Residents Prove Kindness Prevails

Yale experiment shows people will go out of their way to help strangers.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 4:08pm

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An abstract, impressionistic scene of a city street at night, with blurred lights and colors creating a warm, atmospheric mood that evokes a sense of human connection and kindness.A simple act of kindness from a stranger can have a profound impact, as demonstrated by a 1960s Yale study on human compassion.New Haven Today

A 1965 experiment by Yale psychologist Dr. Stanley Milgram found that most letters dropped around New Haven, Connecticut were picked up and mailed, demonstrating the inherent kindness of people. The study showed that human beings are capable of simple acts of generosity without expecting anything in return, suggesting no one is truly alone.

Why it matters

The findings from Milgram's experiment challenge the notion that people are inherently selfish or uncaring. It shows that even in a busy, modern city, the majority of residents are willing to go out of their way to help a stranger, which has broader implications about the fundamental goodness of humanity.

The details

Milgram scattered stamped, addressed letters all over New Haven, dropping them onto sidewalks and placing them in public places. Most of the letters ended up reaching their destinations, meaning good Samaritans had picked them up and mailed them. This simple act of kindness could never be reciprocated, yet people still chose to help.

  • The experiment was conducted by Dr. Stanley Milgram in 1965 in New Haven, Connecticut.

The players

Dr. Stanley Milgram

A Yale psychologist who conducted the experiment to measure kindness and human connection in New Haven.

New Haven Residents

The people of New Haven who picked up and mailed the letters dropped around the city, demonstrating acts of unexpected generosity.

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What they’re saying

“He did an experiment in which he scattered stamped, addressed letters all over New Haven, dropping them onto sidewalks and placing them in telephone booths and other public places. Most letters arrived at their destinations, which means that the good people of New Haven had picked them up and put them into a mailbox—simple acts of kindness that could never be reciprocated.”

— Paul Bloom, Psychologist

The takeaway

Milgram's experiment in New Haven shows that even in a busy, modern city, the majority of people are inherently kind and willing to help strangers, challenging the notion that humanity is fundamentally selfish. This suggests that no one is truly alone, as there are always good Samaritans ready to lend a hand.