Burger 2009 Flashcards
Aim
Find out if same results as milgram 1963 study re occur when study is replicated w modern participants in 2009. See if variable personality like empathy and locus of control influence obedience and to see if presence of a disobedient model makes a difference to obedience level
Procedure
Similar to milgram
Participant watches learner being strapped into the electric chair and then sits at shock generator in adjacent room
Teacher read out 25 multiple choice questions and learner uses a buzzer to indicate answer, if answer is wrong experimenter tells teacher to reliever a shock , starts 15 goes up in 15v
Learner indicates sought heart condition, experiment says it isn’t harmful
75v makes sounds of pain
150v learner complains of heart pain, says wants to stop
If teacher does 165v shock experimenter stops experiment
Procedure w refuser
Second confederate pretends to be a second teacher
He delivered schocks w participant watching at 90v turns to pps and says I don’t know about this
He refuses to go on and the experimenter asks the participant to take over delivering the shocks
Results
- 70% participants in baseline condition prepeared to go past 150 (82.5% in milgram variation 5)
- compared men and women but found no significant results
- empathy didn’t make a significance to obedience
Conclusion
Milgrams results still stand and people are influence by situational factors to obey an authority figure even if it goes against moral values
Generalisability
Covered a wider range of ages 20-81
Used 30 more pps than milgram
2/3 pps were female
Tested historical bias
Excluded people w emotional issues or education in psychology (milgram used a wider range of people)
Reliability
All went through the same process and tested in the same environment
Volts went up the same
Same confederate
Filmed experiment so people can judge the reliability and obedience of themselves
Application
Demonstrates how obedience to authority works and can be used to increase obedience in settings such as schools, workplaces and prison
Authority figures should wear symbols or authority and justify their authority with a reference to the greater good
Testing people for locus of control might identify people more likely to be disobedient and a strong need to be in control
Validity
Lacked ecological validity
Pps were paid in full beforehand so no social pressure
Stopping at 150 makes it invalid as ps may have stopped further
Ethics
Designed to be more ethical w 150v
Removed pps w a nervous disposition
Was approved by the university of ethics panel
However still didn’t get informed consent but did debrief,
Pps were also distressed