Milgram Flashcards
Describe Milgram’s sample and outline how he selected them for his (1963) ‘Behavioral Study of
Obedience’
Sample:
40 male participants.
Between the ages of 20 and 50.
Range of occupations, including “postal clerks, high school teachers, salesmen,
engineers, and laborers”.
Range of educational level, from “one who had not finished elementary school, to those
who had a doctorate and other professional degrees.
Sample selection:
Advertisement placed in a New Haven newspaper.
Direct mail solicitation
Participants took part in research “voluntarily”.
Research conducted by social psychologists, such as Milgram, often has ethical issues. Analyse
ethical issues that arise in social psychological research
Use of deception: Employed by Social Psychologists to avoid demand characteristics
or socially desirable behaviours. Milgram told his participants that his research was on
memory and learning rather than obedience to authority. If he had told the truth, many or
all of his participants may have opted not to shock the learner. Milgram later talked
about his use of ‘technical illusions’ rather than deception.
The risk of stress, anxiety, humiliation or pain: In order to accurately assess our
‘real’ responses to situations, social psychologists may cause negative emotions or
behaviours which when the participants know the truth may cause problems with selfesteem about how they behaved in the research. Many of Milgram’s participants
suffered greatly during the research, 3 of the participants had seizures. They were also
“observed to sweat, tremble, stutter, bite their lips, groan, and dig their fingernails into
their flesh”. However, Milgram later reported that many of his participants were actually
‘gratified’ to have taken part in such important scientific research.
A lack of valid consent: Closely linked to deception as any deception means valid
consent has not been attained. Milgram’s participants agreed to take part in research on
memory and learning not obedience to authority.
