A01 obedience key study: Milgram

Question 1

Aim of study

Answer 1

To investigate whether ordinary people will obey a legitimate authority even when required to injure an innocent person

Question 2

What did he do

Answer 2

40 male Pps by advertising for volunteers

2 confederates. Experimenter and learner

Teacher told to administer shocks to learner if he gets questions wrong, get stronger but they were fake shocks

If the teacher asked to stop experimenter would say carry on this is essential you have no other choice etc

Question 3

What did he find

Answer 3

65% of Pps continued to 450 volts

All Pps reached 300 volts

Only 12.5% stopped at 300 volts

Question 4

Conclusion for the study

Answer 4

Ordinary people are astonishingly obedient to authority

Suggest obedience due to situational rather than dispositional factors