This “conditioning” experiment is a variant on the Pavlov’s Dog study. Conditioning such as this, will over time modify and completely change group behaviour. It is an interesting behavioural study, does it relate to morals though?
Nice metaphor, and I would love to think that that was a real experiment, but sadly I think it is just a made up meme. If anyone does have real history please share.
The story is based loosely on actual animal experiments conducted by a researcher named G.R. Stephenson.
But the story has been changed and embellished over time.
Sourced: Stephenson G R (1967). Cultural acquisition of a specific learned response among rhesus monkeys. In: Starek, D., Schneider, R., and Kuhn, H. J. (eds.), Progress in Primatology. Stuttgart: Fischer, pp. 279-288.