Burger (2009)

Question 1

What’s the aim?

Answer 1

To partially replicate Milgram’s (1963) study into obedience to explore whether people still obey in contemporary society

Question 2

What were the results?

Answer 2

• 70% in baseline were willing to go past 150V
• 63.3% in model refusal were willing to go past 150V
• Women slightly higher in both conditions HOWEVER, not significantly different

Question 3

What’s are 2 strengths of a laboratory experiment?

Answer 3

• Highly controlled environment, removing extraneous variables so cause and effect can be established
• Strict controls & standardised procedures which allows it to be replicated, hence increasing reliability

Question 4

What’s are 2 weaknesses of a laboratory experiment?

Answer 4

• Artificial setting, therefore, lacking ecological validity as behaviour may not be natural
• There may be investigator effects, especially in model refusal, unintentionally influencing participants behaviour (lead to demand characteristics)

Question 5

Explain two strengths of Burger

Answer 5

• Large sample of both males and females which is representative to the target population
• More ethical than Milgram, for example, used clinician as the experimenter in order to identify symptoms of stress early in the study

Question 6

Explain two weaknesses of Burger

Answer 6

• Volunteer sample to gain participants which may be accustomed to more compliant people with similar personality types, therefore reducing representation of target population
• Lacks ecological validity due to it being a laboratory experiment with an artificial environment, therefore unnatural behaviour displayed and doesn’t represent real-life obedience situation